he got injured last year or the year before when he voiced concerns about the length of a rope for the climbs and all CrossFit had to do was cut them but decided not to.
@@kerryrodwell It's essential to address the omissions by the CrossFit games organization. This isn't toxic and doesn't influence the support inside the community. These are two completely different topics.
@@jensmuller3561I agree with you to a point. There is a way to get a point across without throwing athletes under the bus who decided to stay and compete while also calling out CF for their negligence in the same breath. There has been some pretty ugly things said toward and/or about athletes who decided to compete and I think that's what Tia was alluding to.
Thanks for not editing out Pat’s words Buttery Bros. Pat, thank you for saying it! And always speaking up about safety over the years. THEY SHOULD’VE LISTENED & ACTED ages ago. So sorry CrossFit put the athletes in this divisive position to have to decide whether to even compete for money for your livelihoods and continue as if your world wasn’t just tragically rocked. They should’ve paid out every athlete huge sums and let everyone do the workouts as a community in real honor of Lazar and his family. The view really could’ve then stayed on the family for the next days, raised funds and awareness, and taken the divisive pressure off of the athletes to compete for a payout from the same company that caused or at best, chose not to prevent this loss of life.
Sadly it's not as easy as that. Many of these athletes are under contract with sponsors who pay them to do their job and the CF Games is sometimes their biggest payday. Not from prize money but by sponsors. If they don't do their job they possibly don't get paid, just like the rest of us. If they don't honor their contract they can get dropped, face legal issues, or have difficulties finding sponsors in the future. It's just the reality of things.
@@dawnc5797Yes, like in any other sport. Soccer, rugby, baseball, basketball, or F1 racing. These events are managed by private entities; for example, the Champions League in Europe is privately owned and sponsored by major sponsors who organize the event.The same goes for Formula 1 or basketball and baseball championships.However, all events or world championships in each of these disciplines have a security committee, and the event or match is audited by the entities that regulate the sport or discipline: FIFA (in soccer), FIA (in F1 races), MLB (baseball), IBF (boxing).Every major sport has a federation that is different from the company managing the event for profit.The company that sponsors the event never federalizes the discipline simply because federations are focused on protecting the athletes and are centered on the sport. In contrast, the companies that sponsor these events are focused on the profitability of the event.This became clear with the CrossFit scheme-are the judges amateurs? Are they volunteers? Do you think in F1, rugby, or soccer, the judges are enthusiastic volunteers? LOL...CrossFit is an amateur sport that puts the lives of athletes at risk.
Pat….appreciate his honesty about the tragedy and how he’s not afraid to hold people accountable. Thanks buttery bros for always putting out top notch real content. ❤️❤️
Pat always says what everyone else thinks but don’t have the courage to say, A true role model, not afraid to get his point across. I noticed him saying something to Dave during the ceremony too and it didn’t look like it was friendly. I would have loved to have seen him or Brett winning, been following them since I first got into CrossFit in 2016, I’m not sure if they have another season in them, I really hope I’m wrong!
Pat you're a goddamn hero man... Years ago I served in the 75th Ranger Regiment. We lost guys to combat pretty often, it was a part of the game. One of the worst days for all of us was back home between deployments. We were doing something called the "Battalion Games". Platoons versus Platoons in different types of physical events. Combat soccer, wrestling, etc. There was one event where teams were seeing who can push one of the big deuce and a half transport trucks faster to the finish line. Guys on each side of the truck and from behind. On a muddy and wet field in Georgia. It may have been the first event when a Ranger slipped in the wet grass as he was pushing from the side. He fell underneath the oncoming giant tire. Crushing his head and killing him instantly. This wasn't training for war. This was just another similar narcissistic personality to Dave Castro who wanted some fun and games at the expense of others.
I just want to say how much respect I have for the buttery bros. I don’t usually go through comments but seeing how they answered people’s comments to make sure their message isn’t confused and to defend the athletes and how they grieve shows how much they care. Thank you for sharing this video. I think hearing how these athletes who were close to Lazar grieve and feel helps everyone involved in their grieving process.
I knew it would only be a matter of time we’d be hearing from athletes, especially Pat, who has always been very vocal about programming/athlete safety. I can only imagine what more will be said in the next coming weeks. Again, thank you guys for capturing such incredible moments from these amazing athletes & allowing them to feel safe enough to be vulnerable with you/the fans
I'm glad that Pat has spoken and it's scary that the athlete's concerns over the years have been ignored. Pat is right this isn't war, its sport and Dave it seems like Dave was treating this like Navy Seal training rather than sport
@@gillsteele my point was: CrossFit Safety measures suck! Fault and Castro should be fired! CrossFit does not care for its athlethes and their safety 😥
I’m just a fan, I’ve always loved watching the Games, and having watched that on stream traumatized me. And each day it passed and I had time to think about it, the more nauseous I get. I’m just a fan and from Friday to Saturday I actually had trouble sleeping because my mind wouldn’t stop thinking about what happened, putting it all together. I’m just a fan. I can’t even imagine how his brother, his family feels, also how other athletes feel. It could have happened with others. It could have happened with more than one. Lazar was literally drowning while they were passing above the spot he was, Victoria Campos posted about how traumatizing that is. Guilherme Malheiros also had a bit of panicking while swimming, he talked on his Instagram about how the event felt for him. I am just a normal person what goes to CF and does everything scaled, have fun, and watch the games. And I’m traumatized. I kept watching the games and I couldn’t enjoy it anymore. At night I still think about what happened and always end up praying for his family.
Same! My husband and I were just saying this. I have been waking up at night. My body is tense. Praying all night even when I’m sleeping it feels like, all for his family. We wish we hadn’t stayed. We barely could watch. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26 NIV
Same. Heavy chest every time I think of it, and have been ending my prayers every night by asking for peace over Lazar’s family’s broken hearts. I’m also just a fan, and look forward to watching every year. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain his brother felt, (and is feeling), waiting for him to finish that event. This has been overwhelmingly sad while viewing from home. I’ll continue to remember Lazar’s family & friends in my prayers. 🙏🏽R.I.P.
Thank you for not shying away from the situation and not giving us a puff piece. My condolences to your loss, I hope you get to stop and process soon and start to heal. Love and light!
The fact a spectator noticed him struggling and was stopped from intervening, then the lifeguard did nothing other than a cursory look around is totally unforgivable under any circumstances. CrossFit should be held fully accountable for this poor man’s death and possibly even face criminal charges. In my industry this would be classed as corporate manslaughter, a death caused by negligence.
Well Don Faul said there was going to be big cuts in Sports spending, and that they spend way too much on sport. That was evident in the difference in safety support this year. Not even sure there were certified lifeguards, because they sure didn’t act like it.
@@andy.s123 they were volunteers, and only 6 paddle boarders. The unsure part is their experience, because they acted like no lifeguards I’ve ever met. Also no equipment on the paddle boards, so how would they save someone?
I am just here in solidarity with and in thanks for Pat. So glad he is standing up to say what he did and also that Buttery Bros are providing the platform. That will be more important in the coming months, more than ever before. Wagons circle, lawyers and PR teams shut down dissenting voices. To atheltes, be brave, be like Pat. Sometimes the human thing to do, the right thing to do, is to bite the hand that feeds you. For the greater good ✊️
Thank you for making this video. I feel like the CrossFit community really needed this. This is going to help people immeasurably- thank you. So glad people are speaking out. This is only the beginning of people sharing their views towards CrossFit games safety procedures etc.
I’m happy Pat spoke out about the things that need to change. I hope more athletes are given a voice to finally speak out about the concerns they’ve had and brought up over the years and how they were ignored. I also felt really bad about how Tia was trying to talk about how she felt and everyone just kept asking for pictures. She had to put on a fake smile that left her face the second she was done taking the picture and none of the fans noticed. I counted 6 pictures specifically when she was talking about how emotionally hard it was and all of the fans who wanted pictures were within earshot! She specifically said “I feel like I can’t really smile but you have to” as she took the phone from a fan to take a pic and no one even noticed or looked concerned.
Thanks, guys, for staying the course. Been wearing my buttery tank since the Games began...makes me feel a little more part of the community. Appreciate how you didn't cut Pat's interview and let it roll as is. Safe travels home!
Tia, “I feel like I can’t really smile but I have to.” I don’t know why but that really got to me. It seems like all these athletes that chose to carry on had to put on a show for their sponsors and fans. And that sucks.
That is so true Pat. It’s what I said when I heard this had happened. The way Crossfit has been doing things, this was only a matter of time. They’ve been lucky up until now and it is so terrible this happened to Lazar when it absolutely didn’t need to. I hope athletes like Pat continue to speak out and demand change. Thank you for putting his words in the beginning and not ignoring them.
Some major moments in this video. Everyone talks about Pat, but for me, that Tia footage at the end. It was an amazing view of how celebrity works and that, no matter what you’re going through, you have to flash a smile for the fans. Amazing footage guys. That’s the stuff great documentaries are made of.
Classy content during a horrible time. Pat is a stand up guy. Can't say I respect the result of these games as so many top competitors didn't participate (and all with good reasons).
Appreciate you guys for enduring this weekend with the athletes and for sharing Raw Butter from the inside. Jules, Heebs, Marz, I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for everything ❤
So much respect to Pat and Brent because I know they won’t let their friends death be in vain. I have to agree with Pat as well. This year was the first time I didn’t really care about the leaderboard. It feels so insignificant. When I look back to this games, I won’t think of who won first. I’ll think of Lazar. You could tell some athletes weren’t even fully there mentally as they competed. Several athletes dropped out. This wasnt a real CrossFit games and I don’t know if there will be again
Oh how heavy it is on everyone. Thank you for your video and work team. Hope the athletes all can rest easy, stay off socials, and get back to doing what they love in time.
So good to hear from the athletes behind the scenes. I appreciate you being there. Hope you guys can lend your support and presence to the Masters games in a few weeks.
I think you all did incredibly well to persevere through the weekend within your own emotions to honour Lazar and your community. It was obviously done with a broken heart, but with a monumental amount of respect for everyone involved. I hope your team is all now taking time to care for yourselves and eachother. Sending love from Australia x
@butterybros thank you for showing this. I have seen so many negative comments about those that still chose to compete and this shows a light on why and that they are still grieving.
I feel that what Pat said is extremely important for the Leaders of CrossFit to really take the safety of the athletes as their number one concern! I wish Pat would have been more specific about his safety concerns that the athletes have been trying to get the CrossFit Leaders to improve.
Shout out to buttery bros for their willingness to give good, not generic responses in the comments while grinding to get these videos out and spreading butter. All of this during a very tough, tragic weekend. Thank you guys 🙏🏼
Thank you for your content over the last couple days, its been really respectful and a great insight into how the athletes are coping. Going to be interesting to see the fall out from this tragedy in the coming months. Crossfit have basically no media presence because they've relied on content creators after they got rid of their media team (in part, you guys), so won't be able to control the narrative with any authenticity
1:17 Vellner is telling it like it is. CrossFit needs to learn that their actions are unacceptable, and they should face serious consequences, both financially and in terms of their reputation. Despite knowing how poorly CrossFit treats its athletes, Vellner continues to confront these challenges and overcomes the adversity they present each year. Well said, my man! 🙌🏻
82 Olympians have died. 4 have died in the Tour de France. 100+ have died boxing. High intensity sports carry a large risk. CrossFit had two lifeguards within a few meters that didn’t see him struggling. Lazar’s death was tragic but it isn’t unheard of in sports and it wasn’t due to CF negligence.
@@ericw712 Exactly this - people can be grieving and competing; CrossFit can continue and be held accountable. This is - to me - the tragic extreme expression of the observed gaps over the years of judging standards, feedback and safety. What Vellner said is true - these athletes should be tested to their max, but within reason and with safety first and foremost, not a "yes, but...".
The ‘lifeguards’ were under equipped to patrol an open water swim, were distracted, and did next to nothing when alerted that Lazar went under. They were hired by CFHQ, given instructions by CFHQ. So yeah, CFHQ is culpable.Then there are first hand accounts of CF staff being told Lazar did not make it out of the water…and they too did next to nothing until it became obvious something terrible happened. Lazar lost his life due to the negligence, hubris, and arrogance of CFHQ and Dave Castro. Just because the athletes may have the capacity to complete an open water swim doesn’t mean they should be asked to. I’m actually surprised something like this hasn’t happened before. A man lost his life because CFHQ did the bare minimum in safety precautions.
It’s outrageous how preventable this was. Good for the athletes that continued, also good for the ones that backed out. Everyone grieves in their own eay
Thank you Pat! Gabi, anyone of us who’ve lost someone close knows exactly what you mean. Give us work. It helps take the mind off of everything. But…numb. Yeah. Been there, sadly and have done that. Well not like the Games. Also, I saw some negative towards Hopper online. Remember, he’s the class clown. I’m sure in his own way he’s hurting but that’s just who he is. He and Dallin’s head to head is probably his way of “not thinking about it”
The tone deafness from the two winners was gross. I’m all for having your own belief system but the constant spewing onto the audience was too much. Sprague gives the ick, like handmaid’s tale vibes uncomfortable. Then the showboating and after winning smiling, while giving the l for Lazar was just wrong. I understand people grieve in their own ways and no right or wrong,but that bizarre. Velner, Fikowski, Sanders and Khans words were so on point and I gained more respect for them throughout this. Velner interaction with Dave at the end also was telling. this doc series could have exposed CrossFit for their repeated negligence and safety risk they have put athletes at for years and they are solely responsible for this death. They need to be held accountable and agree it’s too bad the bros didn’t take this opportunity to really expose and do right by lazar. Man, this was such an avoidable tragedy and CrossFit continued to traumatize the athletes by forcing them to make impossible choice to continue or leave the competition. They didn’t do right by Lazar and his family. Also they created division between athletes and the community. Nevermind the “tribute” which was basically nothing and another massive screwup. This games has everyone shook and loss for words. Incredibly sad
Velner said it best. James Sprague’s post event interviews did it for me. Such a shame that’s the face and the direction of the sport after such tragic weekend. Most athletes took the time in their interviews to talk about Lazar which is what CrossFit said the weekend was going to be about. However, James Sprague chose to use that for a very odd Harrison Butker moment with a weird back drop of t-shirts of his face photoshopped Trump’s body? Talking Elite Fitness hit the nail on the head. This years winner is not truly the Fittest on Earth.
I see where you're coming from, but I thought his interview in this video helped explain his actions a little more. If he didn't really know Lazar very well and just accomplished a lifelong goal, it's understandable that in the moment he could be all over the place and acting like that. That's my perspective. His interview and clips from the video above showed much more internal conflict within Sprague than the post-event interview did. He's still weird, but I think some of the criticism levied towards him has been a bit overblown.
Thank you ❤ everyone hurts...and everyone shows it differently. Some are stoic...some are more expressive. There's a time to push through pain and a time to pause...and that is a thin line. Sending you all hugs 🤗🤗🤗
Thx to Pat....That's the ugly beauty and tragic of Life...and it needed such a soul of Lazar to show that crossfit lost its mission during the last games already- think of the bike ride, the running up the hills. There were safety discussions already, the whole discussion about abusive behaviour and now it ate itself. Loosing the true purpose and mission in exchange to just profit will always end up in chaos - if you are not combined with your values, it will kick your ass later. And here it did. I am so sad. I am so angry. But for me it was the mission and the purpose of Lazar to reveal this bullshit finally. And he revealed his Crossfit mission, his values and everything he stand for even more. There could be no more greatness.
I would like to see you guys put together a tribute film for him and put it on UA-cam forever. Team Richy and others have a lot of films with him..... that would be memorable..
Would love to see it. As he’s a European athlete we have reached out to some of the creators over there as we believe it should come from them. However if they aren’t going to put something out for personal reasons,.. maybe we all collab.
@@ButteryBros1let’s be honest your channel is huge and you’re the best professionals in this field. I’m European and I really wish you can create a very special collaboration with other European creators and give Lazar the visibility he deserves.
I feel like if anyone puts anything out (in any capacity) that highlights Lazar and his life, all monetized content should be donated to his family. Capitalizing on this tragedy feels disheartening. No one should be benefiting except his family. Please note I am NOT saying BB is doing this, just more or less a thing I’ve been thinking about. I’ve been wondering if CFHQ is benefiting from their “tribute” video on yt, and the notion of it makes me feel sick.
@@jennifermiller8988 it is also possible to decide not to monetize the video and leave the creators the freedom to decide how much to donate. I’m saying this because content creating is also my job. Isn’t easy to figure out how much a video can make because it monetizes over time indefinitely. But yes I agree with you on not using this tragedy for profit.
Glad Pat spoke out. That needed to be heard. Also well done to Tia for reminding folk to be kind, yes people need to held accountable for what has happened this weekend. But it isn't the athletes that have continued to compete.
Thank you Bros. Crossfit not letting us see the final events on Youtoube is just so disrespectful and such a slap in the face to the community around the world. I am not sure if I will ever try to watch another Games.
@@mickeytollison the lifeguards clearly were negligent, one of them actively stopped a spectator from assisting Lazar. The fact they weren’t trained properly and there weren’t more around to help, and no one noticed him drowning except the spectator is the very definition of negligence.
I really wanted Pat to win this season and I know it´s not the time to think about that but I do think that he made the best conclusion you could ask for in these circumstances! Thank you Pat for speaking your heart out! Much love to the whole community! ❤🩹
Y’all are such wonderful humans to work so hard to deliver these videos every day. I’m sure you’re exhausted emotionally, mentally and physically. Get some rest. Get home safe and thank you. I’m sure we’ll be looking to you all more than ever as things continue to shake out after the games. All the best fam.
@10:07 Tia is like a robot. Not even acknowledging the fans … I know she’s being interviewed but … really? She should choose between authentic fam interactions or interviews. Multi-tasking in this area doesn’t look good for her.
This is probably more on us than her. We felt like we had to get a sound bite from her and she was kind enough to speak with us. She was just trying to leave the venue and we didn’t want to make her stay any longer. But this moment highlights the paradox of what a lot of us had to do there. Processing tragedy, while still trying to bring a moment of happiness and positivity to people who have traveled many miles and are very excited to see you. A lot of athletes just put their heads down and left. Tia took the time to at least get as many selfies as possible with people who had waited hours.
TIA has become my personal inspiration to keepgoing not only to improve my physical health but achieve a healthy mental health to be better with myself and have a better way to treat others with respect at any occasion. Thank you Tia.
How about a video about how Crossfit denied everyone outside of the US from watching the last 2 events! Showing how much about the community it really is.
Strong words from Pat... Not afraid to ruffle some feathers.
thought exactly the same. Absolutely scathing. Fair play to him.
he got injured last year or the year before when he voiced concerns about the length of a rope for the climbs and all CrossFit had to do was cut them but decided not to.
@@gengarpokemon7731It’s Castro’s way or the highway…🤔
@@gengarpokemon7731 Scott Panchik voiced his opinions in the syndicate games last year about rope be too long and unsafe. Then Panchik got hurt.
Having Pat in the mix in the aftermath of this tragedy gives me faith that SOMETHING will change. He's a smart, good person and a good leader.
I'm glad someone spoke out against the CrossFit organization and the ongoing safety concerns. Thanks, Pat!
i am also glad that Tia called out the toxic crap online as well rather than people trying to support each other
Someone has to because no one else will.
@@kerryrodwellwell when you’re pumped up with PEDs, and ready to cash the next check, everything else is toxic.
@@kerryrodwell It's essential to address the omissions by the CrossFit games organization. This isn't toxic and doesn't influence the support inside the community. These are two completely different topics.
@@jensmuller3561I agree with you to a point. There is a way to get a point across without throwing athletes under the bus who decided to stay and compete while also calling out CF for their negligence in the same breath. There has been some pretty ugly things said toward and/or about athletes who decided to compete and I think that's what Tia was alluding to.
Not a single word was wasted by Pat. A class act, as always.
Thanks for not editing out Pat’s words Buttery Bros. Pat, thank you for saying it! And always speaking up about safety over the years. THEY SHOULD’VE LISTENED & ACTED ages ago. So sorry CrossFit put the athletes in this divisive position to have to decide whether to even compete for money for your livelihoods and continue as if your world wasn’t just tragically rocked. They should’ve paid out every athlete huge sums and let everyone do the workouts as a community in real honor of Lazar and his family. The view really could’ve then stayed on the family for the next days, raised funds and awareness, and taken the divisive pressure off of the athletes to compete for a payout from the same company that caused or at best, chose not to prevent this loss of life.
Agree 💯
Sadly it's not as easy as that. Many of these athletes are under contract with sponsors who pay them to do their job and the CF Games is sometimes their biggest payday. Not from prize money but by sponsors. If they don't do their job they possibly don't get paid, just like the rest of us. If they don't honor their contract they can get dropped, face legal issues, or have difficulties finding sponsors in the future. It's just the reality of things.
Completely agree.. but impossible with all the vendors and sponsors.. there is so much behind the scenes not only the competition.
@@dawnc5797Yes, like in any other sport. Soccer, rugby, baseball, basketball, or F1 racing. These events are managed by private entities; for example, the Champions League in Europe is privately owned and sponsored by major sponsors who organize the event.The same goes for Formula 1 or basketball and baseball championships.However, all events or world championships in each of these disciplines have a security committee, and the event or match is audited by the entities that regulate the sport or discipline: FIFA (in soccer), FIA (in F1 races), MLB (baseball), IBF (boxing).Every major sport has a federation that is different from the company managing the event for profit.The company that sponsors the event never federalizes the discipline simply because federations are focused on protecting the athletes and are centered on the sport. In contrast, the companies that sponsor these events are focused on the profitability of the event.This became clear with the CrossFit scheme-are the judges amateurs? Are they volunteers? Do you think in F1, rugby, or soccer, the judges are enthusiastic volunteers? LOL...CrossFit is an amateur sport that puts the lives of athletes at risk.
Well said Pat. We all needed to hear this!
Yes! Say it louder for the people BEHIND THE DAMN DESK. WTF.
Pat….appreciate his honesty about the tragedy and how he’s not afraid to hold people accountable. Thanks buttery bros for always putting out top notch real content. ❤️❤️
Thanks for the kind words
Pat speaking absolute facts, this isn’t war this is sport.
Lol bro.. people die in sport all the time. It’s tragic but war..? 25 died in triathlons last year
Pat always says what everyone else thinks but don’t have the courage to say, A true role model, not afraid to get his point across. I noticed him saying something to Dave during the ceremony too and it didn’t look like it was friendly.
I would have loved to have seen him or Brett winning, been following them since I first got into CrossFit in 2016, I’m not sure if they have another season in them, I really hope I’m wrong!
Really appreciate how you put the athletes first in all of your content this weekend. The games felt like a background element, in a good way.
Pat you're a goddamn hero man...
Years ago I served in the 75th Ranger Regiment. We lost guys to combat pretty often, it was a part of the game. One of the worst days for all of us was back home between deployments. We were doing something called the "Battalion Games". Platoons versus Platoons in different types of physical events. Combat soccer, wrestling, etc. There was one event where teams were seeing who can push one of the big deuce and a half transport trucks faster to the finish line. Guys on each side of the truck and from behind. On a muddy and wet field in Georgia. It may have been the first event when a Ranger slipped in the wet grass as he was pushing from the side. He fell underneath the oncoming giant tire. Crushing his head and killing him instantly. This wasn't training for war. This was just another similar narcissistic personality to Dave Castro who wanted some fun and games at the expense of others.
So glad to hear Pat speaking the truth. OG
Pat is such an intelligent guy, so good to hear him say it so honestly. Won't be the last we hear from him on this subject I am sure.
I just want to say how much respect I have for the buttery bros. I don’t usually go through comments but seeing how they answered people’s comments to make sure their message isn’t confused and to defend the athletes and how they grieve shows how much they care. Thank you for sharing this video. I think hearing how these athletes who were close to Lazar grieve and feel helps everyone involved in their grieving process.
I knew it would only be a matter of time we’d be hearing from athletes, especially Pat, who has always been very vocal about programming/athlete safety. I can only imagine what more will be said in the next coming weeks. Again, thank you guys for capturing such incredible moments from these amazing athletes & allowing them to feel safe enough to be vulnerable with you/the fans
I'm glad that Pat has spoken and it's scary that the athlete's concerns over the years have been ignored. Pat is right this isn't war, its sport and Dave it seems like Dave was treating this like Navy Seal training rather than sport
Navy Seals have great savety measures and rescue swimmers!!!
Navy seals have great safety measures and rescue swimmers!
@@MS_249 100% they did, but they didn't have this here and you can tell by Pat's response that this was years in the making
@@gillsteele my point was: CrossFit Safety measures suck! Fault and Castro should be fired! CrossFit does not care for its athlethes and their safety 😥
Fire Castro!
I’m just a fan, I’ve always loved watching the Games, and having watched that on stream traumatized me. And each day it passed and I had time to think about it, the more nauseous I get. I’m just a fan and from Friday to Saturday I actually had trouble sleeping because my mind wouldn’t stop thinking about what happened, putting it all together. I’m just a fan. I can’t even imagine how his brother, his family feels, also how other athletes feel. It could have happened with others. It could have happened with more than one. Lazar was literally drowning while they were passing above the spot he was, Victoria Campos posted about how traumatizing that is. Guilherme Malheiros also had a bit of panicking while swimming, he talked on his Instagram about how the event felt for him. I am just a normal person what goes to CF and does everything scaled, have fun, and watch the games. And I’m traumatized. I kept watching the games and I couldn’t enjoy it anymore. At night I still think about what happened and always end up praying for his family.
Same! My husband and I were just saying this. I have been waking up at night. My body is tense. Praying all night even when I’m sleeping it feels like, all for his family. We wish we hadn’t stayed. We barely could watch.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
Romans 8:26 NIV
I’m just a fan and feel so in shock as well. I have wept several times and couldn’t watch the games after
Same. Heavy chest every time I think of it, and have been ending my prayers every night by asking for peace over Lazar’s family’s broken hearts. I’m also just a fan, and look forward to watching every year. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain his brother felt, (and is feeling), waiting for him to finish that event. This has been overwhelmingly sad while viewing from home. I’ll continue to remember Lazar’s family & friends in my prayers. 🙏🏽R.I.P.
Thank you for not shying away from the situation and not giving us a puff piece. My condolences to your loss, I hope you get to stop and process soon and start to heal. Love and light!
The fact a spectator noticed him struggling and was stopped from intervening, then the lifeguard did nothing other than a cursory look around is totally unforgivable under any circumstances. CrossFit should be held fully accountable for this poor man’s death and possibly even face criminal charges. In my industry this would be classed as corporate manslaughter, a death caused by negligence.
Well Don Faul said there was going to be big cuts in Sports spending, and that they spend way too much on sport. That was evident in the difference in safety support this year. Not even sure there were certified lifeguards, because they sure didn’t act like it.
Many, many spectators noticed. Many spectators told organizers. The response was “we’ll see if someone is missing when it’s over.”
@@simonreilly213You must be kidding me. You must be kidding me….😢😢
@@RogueCylonapparently they were volunteers...
@@andy.s123 they were volunteers, and only 6 paddle boarders. The unsure part is their experience, because they acted like no lifeguards I’ve ever met. Also no equipment on the paddle boards, so how would they save someone?
I am just here in solidarity with and in thanks for Pat. So glad he is standing up to say what he did and also that Buttery Bros are providing the platform. That will be more important in the coming months, more than ever before. Wagons circle, lawyers and PR teams shut down dissenting voices. To atheltes, be brave, be like Pat. Sometimes the human thing to do, the right thing to do, is to bite the hand that feeds you. For the greater good ✊️
He really said it well.
Everything you’ve released this weekend has been absolutely incredible, you’ve handled yourselves with huge respect. RIP Lazar
I don’t comment often but Pat V. An absolute hero of a man for his words. Well said and thank you Bbros for including his voice! 🙌
Pat speaking facts. Much needed
Thank you for making this video. I feel like the CrossFit community really needed this. This is going to help people immeasurably- thank you.
So glad people are speaking out. This is only the beginning of people sharing their views towards CrossFit games safety procedures etc.
Well said Pat!
I’m happy Pat spoke out about the things that need to change. I hope more athletes are given a voice to finally speak out about the concerns they’ve had and brought up over the years and how they were ignored. I also felt really bad about how Tia was trying to talk about how she felt and everyone just kept asking for pictures. She had to put on a fake smile that left her face the second she was done taking the picture and none of the fans noticed. I counted 6 pictures specifically when she was talking about how emotionally hard it was and all of the fans who wanted pictures were within earshot! She specifically said “I feel like I can’t really smile but you have to” as she took the phone from a fan to take a pic and no one even noticed or looked concerned.
Thanks, guys, for staying the course. Been wearing my buttery tank since the Games began...makes me feel a little more part of the community. Appreciate how you didn't cut Pat's interview and let it roll as is. Safe travels home!
Pat will always be my favorite athlete, he seems so genuine in all of his conversations ❤️
Pats words were needed...uncut and raw.. thank you guys for keeping it real.
Well said Pat. A tragedy that could have been avoided or with better support on the day had a different outcome. Changes must be made. RIP Lazar
I did´t think I could admire Pat even more. Now I know.
Tia, “I feel like I can’t really smile but I have to.” I don’t know why but that really got to me. It seems like all these athletes that chose to carry on had to put on a show for their sponsors and fans. And that sucks.
That is so true Pat. It’s what I said when I heard this had happened. The way Crossfit has been doing things, this was only a matter of time. They’ve been lucky up until now and it is so terrible this happened to Lazar when it absolutely didn’t need to. I hope athletes like Pat continue to speak out and demand change. Thank you for putting his words in the beginning and not ignoring them.
Some major moments in this video. Everyone talks about Pat, but for me, that Tia footage at the end. It was an amazing view of how celebrity works and that, no matter what you’re going through, you have to flash a smile for the fans. Amazing footage guys. That’s the stuff great documentaries are made of.
Classy content during a horrible time. Pat is a stand up guy. Can't say I respect the result of these games as so many top competitors didn't participate (and all with good reasons).
As of Tia wouldn’t have won…
I think they're speaking more to the mens competition.@@seanmcdevitt1052
Appreciate you guys for enduring this weekend with the athletes and for sharing Raw Butter from the inside. Jules, Heebs, Marz, I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for everything ❤
Super candid and unedited coverage it felt like. Thank you Buttery bros.
Thank you, Pat❤
It’s so sad listening to Gabi.. ❤ she’s happy but feels numb… thank you for this! RIP Lazar..
Gutted for her that’s she’s going through this alone. Like how can y’all just up and leave her.
So much respect to Pat and Brent because I know they won’t let their friends death be in vain. I have to agree with Pat as well. This year was the first time I didn’t really care about the leaderboard. It feels so insignificant. When I look back to this games, I won’t think of who won first. I’ll think of Lazar.
You could tell some athletes weren’t even fully there mentally as they competed. Several athletes dropped out. This wasnt a real CrossFit games and I don’t know if there will be again
Oh how heavy it is on everyone. Thank you for your video and work team. Hope the athletes all can rest easy, stay off socials, and get back to doing what they love in time.
Pat ❤❤❤ he is such an inspiration on and off the field, I really respect his actions and I couldn’t agree more
You guys did a great job keeping it respectful to the situation and still covering as much as you could.
So good to hear from the athletes behind the scenes. I appreciate you being there. Hope you guys can lend your support and presence to the Masters games in a few weeks.
Good on Pat to call how things are
It’s really powerful to see and hear how all the athletes are processing the loss. Thank you for sharing their voices.
I think you all did incredibly well to persevere through the weekend within your own emotions to honour Lazar and your community. It was obviously done with a broken heart, but with a monumental amount of respect for everyone involved. I hope your team is all now taking time to care for yourselves and eachother. Sending love from Australia x
Glad Pat has already made moves on being the voice on Socials.
Pat Vellner!! 👏🏻 Thanks for showing the honesty Bros! 💪🏻
Well said Vellner. A man of integrity.
Pat..your words are so powerful. 😢 so shattered and devastated. 😭
@butterybros thank you for showing this. I have seen so many negative comments about those that still chose to compete and this shows a light on why and that they are still grieving.
it’s saddening. every other games u see the champs so full of joy and now it’s more bittersweet
Thank you to you and your team for providing an outlet for everyone’s voices.
Really good to hear honest thoughts. Thank you for putting this out there.
I feel that what Pat said is extremely important for the Leaders of CrossFit to really take the safety of the athletes as their number one concern! I wish Pat would have been more specific about his safety concerns that the athletes have been trying to get the CrossFit Leaders to improve.
Shout out to buttery bros for their willingness to give good, not generic responses in the comments while grinding to get these videos out and spreading butter. All of this during a very tough, tragic weekend. Thank you guys 🙏🏼
Thank you for your content over the last couple days, its been really respectful and a great insight into how the athletes are coping.
Going to be interesting to see the fall out from this tragedy in the coming months. Crossfit have basically no media presence because they've relied on content creators after they got rid of their media team (in part, you guys), so won't be able to control the narrative with any authenticity
1:17 Vellner is telling it like it is. CrossFit needs to learn that their actions are unacceptable, and they should face serious consequences, both financially and in terms of their reputation.
Despite knowing how poorly CrossFit treats its athletes, Vellner continues to confront these challenges and overcomes the adversity they present each year.
Well said, my man! 🙌🏻
happy Pat spoke out against the CrossFit organization and the ongoing safety concerns.
Everyone that says "blaming CrossFit HQ does not bring Lazar back" does not understand the problem!!!
82 Olympians have died. 4 have died in the Tour de France. 100+ have died boxing. High intensity sports carry a large risk. CrossFit had two lifeguards within a few meters that didn’t see him struggling. Lazar’s death was tragic but it isn’t unheard of in sports and it wasn’t due to CF negligence.
@@mickeytollison Do you actually belive what you are writing?
Is it possible to hold both truths:
1. Blaming HQ won’t bring him back.
2. Change and accountability is needed.
@@ericw712 Exactly this - people can be grieving and competing; CrossFit can continue and be held accountable. This is - to me - the tragic extreme expression of the observed gaps over the years of judging standards, feedback and safety. What Vellner said is true - these athletes should be tested to their max, but within reason and with safety first and foremost, not a "yes, but...".
The ‘lifeguards’ were under equipped to patrol an open water swim, were distracted, and did next to nothing when alerted that Lazar went under. They were hired by CFHQ, given instructions by CFHQ. So yeah, CFHQ is culpable.Then there are first hand accounts of CF staff being told Lazar did not make it out of the water…and they too did next to nothing until it became obvious something terrible happened.
Lazar lost his life due to the negligence, hubris, and arrogance of CFHQ and Dave Castro. Just because the athletes may have the capacity to complete an open water swim doesn’t mean they should be asked to. I’m actually surprised something like this hasn’t happened before. A man lost his life because CFHQ did the bare minimum in safety precautions.
Huge respect for Pat ❤
It’s outrageous how preventable this was. Good for the athletes that continued, also good for the ones that backed out. Everyone grieves in their own eay
Thank you Pat!
Gabi, anyone of us who’ve lost someone close knows exactly what you mean. Give us work. It helps take the mind off of everything. But…numb. Yeah. Been there, sadly and have done that. Well not like the Games.
Also, I saw some negative towards Hopper online. Remember, he’s the class clown. I’m sure in his own way he’s hurting but that’s just who he is. He and Dallin’s head to head is probably his way of “not thinking about it”
Wait for the longer piece. This doesn’t do them justice
The tone deafness from the two winners was gross. I’m all for having your own belief system but the constant spewing onto the audience was too much. Sprague gives the ick, like handmaid’s tale vibes uncomfortable. Then the showboating and after winning smiling, while giving the l for Lazar was just wrong. I understand people grieve in their own ways and no right or wrong,but that bizarre. Velner, Fikowski, Sanders and Khans words were so on point and I gained more respect for them throughout this. Velner interaction with Dave at the end also was telling. this doc series could have exposed CrossFit for their repeated negligence and safety risk they have put athletes at for years and they are solely responsible for this death. They need to be held accountable and agree it’s too bad the bros didn’t take this opportunity to really expose and do right by lazar. Man, this was such an avoidable tragedy and CrossFit continued to traumatize the athletes by forcing them to make impossible choice to continue or leave the competition. They didn’t do right by Lazar and his family. Also they created division between athletes and the community. Nevermind the “tribute” which was basically nothing and another massive screwup. This games has everyone shook and loss for words. Incredibly sad
Completely agree
Pat said what’s needed to be said for a while
Velner said it best. James Sprague’s post event interviews did it for me. Such a shame that’s the face and the direction of the sport after such tragic weekend. Most athletes took the time in their interviews to talk about Lazar which is what CrossFit said the weekend was going to be about. However, James Sprague chose to use that for a very odd Harrison Butker moment with a weird back drop of t-shirts of his face photoshopped Trump’s body? Talking Elite Fitness hit the nail on the head. This years winner is not truly the Fittest on Earth.
I see where you're coming from, but I thought his interview in this video helped explain his actions a little more. If he didn't really know Lazar very well and just accomplished a lifelong goal, it's understandable that in the moment he could be all over the place and acting like that. That's my perspective. His interview and clips from the video above showed much more internal conflict within Sprague than the post-event interview did. He's still weird, but I think some of the criticism levied towards him has been a bit overblown.
Pat Vellners words are so true ♥️
Thank you ❤ everyone hurts...and everyone shows it differently. Some are stoic...some are more expressive. There's a time to push through pain and a time to pause...and that is a thin line. Sending you all hugs 🤗🤗🤗
Vellner was on point with his comments!
Nice job guy. nice tone to a tough tough situation. well said Pat
If I am angry I can't imagine Lazar's family and the athletes. Vellner said everything.
Damn Pat. Well said.
Thx to Pat....That's the ugly beauty and tragic of Life...and it needed such a soul of Lazar to show that crossfit lost its mission during the last games already- think of the bike ride, the running up the hills. There were safety discussions already, the whole discussion about abusive behaviour and now it ate itself.
Loosing the true purpose and mission in exchange to just profit will always end up in chaos - if you are not combined with your values, it will kick your ass later.
And here it did. I am so sad. I am so angry.
But for me it was the mission and the purpose of Lazar to reveal this bullshit finally. And he revealed his Crossfit mission, his values and everything he stand for even more. There could be no more greatness.
Pat you Legend
Pat nailed it.
Vellner being a champ!
Thank you, Pat Vellner!!
wow...I'm really glad Pat put it out there like he did. Such a tragedy
Wow. Pat was amazing here. So well said and explained well. What a painful, sad weekend
I would like to see you guys put together a tribute film for him and put it on UA-cam forever.
Team Richy and others have a lot of films with him..... that would be memorable..
Would love to see it. As he’s a European athlete we have reached out to some of the creators over there as we believe it should come from them. However if they aren’t going to put something out for personal reasons,.. maybe we all collab.
@@ButteryBros1let’s be honest your channel is huge and you’re the best professionals in this field. I’m European and I really wish you can create a very special collaboration with other European creators and give Lazar the visibility he deserves.
I feel like if anyone puts anything out (in any capacity) that highlights Lazar and his life, all monetized content should be donated to his family. Capitalizing on this tragedy feels disheartening. No one should be benefiting except his family. Please note I am NOT saying BB is doing this, just more or less a thing I’ve been thinking about. I’ve been wondering if CFHQ is benefiting from their “tribute” video on yt, and the notion of it makes me feel sick.
@@jennifermiller8988 it is also possible to decide not to monetize the video and leave the creators the freedom to decide how much to donate. I’m saying this because content creating is also my job. Isn’t easy to figure out how much a video can make because it monetizes over time indefinitely. But yes I agree with you on not using this tragedy for profit.
Maybe you could put it behind a pay wall and donate the proceeds to his family?
Well said Pat, good for you
Glad Pat spoke out. That needed to be heard. Also well done to Tia for reminding folk to be kind, yes people need to held accountable for what has happened this weekend. But it isn't the athletes that have continued to compete.
Thank you Bros. Crossfit not letting us see the final events on Youtoube is just so disrespectful and such a slap in the face to the community around the world. I am not sure if I will ever try to watch another Games.
Wow, always admired Pat as an athlete but just gained so much more respect for him as a person.
Absolute negligence on CFHQ part, he could be alive today if there were proper lifeguards looking out for the athletes safety
2 lifeguards within a few meters. That’s not negligent.
@@mickeytollison the lifeguards clearly were negligent, one of them actively stopped a spectator from assisting Lazar. The fact they weren’t trained properly and there weren’t more around to help, and no one noticed him drowning except the spectator is the very definition of negligence.
They needed more than 2 lifeguards - CrossFit failed
@@mickeytollisonsomeone died on their watch... That's negligent
I really wanted Pat to win this season and I know it´s not the time to think about that but I do think that he made the best conclusion you could ask for in these circumstances! Thank you Pat for speaking your heart out! Much love to the whole community! ❤🩹
Y’all are such wonderful humans to work so hard to deliver these videos every day. I’m sure you’re exhausted emotionally, mentally and physically. Get some rest. Get home safe and thank you. I’m sure we’ll be looking to you all more than ever as things continue to shake out after the games. All the best fam.
Thankyou Pat
Appreciate the Buttery Bro’s! You guys are an inspiration
You are a treasure Pat
@10:07 Tia is like a robot. Not even acknowledging the fans … I know she’s being interviewed but … really? She should choose between authentic fam interactions or interviews. Multi-tasking in this area doesn’t look good for her.
“The hearts really heavy..” as she smiles two seconds later.
This is probably more on us than her. We felt like we had to get a sound bite from her and she was kind enough to speak with us. She was just trying to leave the venue and we didn’t want to make her stay any longer. But this moment highlights the paradox of what a lot of us had to do there. Processing tragedy, while still trying to bring a moment of happiness and positivity to people who have traveled many miles and are very excited to see you.
A lot of athletes just put their heads down and left. Tia took the time to at least get as many selfies as possible with people who had waited hours.
My thoughts exactly - this is a really awkward scene to watch and listen to. I feel off about her now
Very well said by Vellner
TIA has become my personal inspiration to keepgoing not only to improve my physical health but achieve a healthy mental health to be better with myself and have a better way to treat others with respect at any occasion. Thank you Tia.
She inspires me as a new mom!!! I love seeing her strength and power! It’s beautiful to see her competing after having a baby.
Something about Tia is really dislikeable
Tall Poppy Syndrome
I cannot feel anything from her. Fucking robot.
We love Pat.
Pat. Wow.
Castro needed to be fired into sun years ago. Whoever thought it was a good idea to bring him back also needs to get shitcanned.
Uh, no.
CrossFit failed - no excuses
How about a video about how Crossfit denied everyone outside of the US from watching the last 2 events! Showing how much about the community it really is.
Love you Vellner!
Justice for lazar