New layout…

Hey all! I know I don’t have enough followers for this to matter, but just wanted to point out that I changed the site design – but I can change it back for those who preferred the old look! Just experimenting a bit. So whaddya think? This way or the other way?

Hmmm… well, that’s really all that I had to say, but I don’t want to make a post that’s so short! So I’ll just put in a couple of things. One – I’ve become addicted to the Vampire Diaries. I know. As a Supernatural fan, I’m ashamed of myself. I always thought the show was jumping on the Twilight bandwagon, but apparently it’s based off a book series written in the early 90s, which places this pretty solidly in first. So THERE. That’s my defense, haha. Also tried water marbling on my nails… so awesome. You first paint your nails white, tape around the bottom and sides of your nails, and then get a bowl of tepid water and some nail polishes. Then, you just drop the polish in the water one drop at a time, alternating colors, to make concentric circles that radiate out. After (and do this quickly, because the polish dries) take a toothpick, needle, tip of a pen or anything similar to make a design by dragging the colors. Then, dip one nail at a time straight down into the desired section, keeping it under water until the dried surface polish is removed with a Q-Tip. What your nail looks like when you pull it out is a surprise! I removed the tape when the paint was dry and then just removed all the extra polish with a Q-Tip and some nail polish remover. Here’s a tutorial, and here’s a photo of how mine turned out (sorry for the blurry picture!):

Cool, right? Yeah, that was random. Hence the title of the blog. Anyway, to get back to gymnastics, the only news I can think of is McKayla Maroney’s vault upgrades. There’s been talk for a little while of a TTY (Triple Twisting Yurchenko!), which would be completely amazing to see a woman do. They would just have to make sure the judges didn’t mistake it for a double by the way she lands! It does make me nervous for her, though. She’s close to a lock for the team with her current amazing Amanar, and this could risk a nasty knee injury (maybe Bross and Mustafina have just made me sensitive to this, but everyone forgets that Moceanu retired in 2000 after a knee injury caused by vaulting). If anyone could do this, though, it’s certainly Maroney. If she was able to compete it in the Olympics, that would also mean that it would carry her namesake! She’s also reportedly training a Cheng vault (named after the brilliant Chinese gymnast Cheng Fei) as her second vault. It has a 6.5 start value, and the TTY could be well into the 17s… can’t IMAGINE what her combined score would be! Unbeatable. What do you guys think? Is the Cheng enough, or should she really work on the TTY? Are neither neccessary?

Well, that’s all I have for today. Hope you guys are doing well! And silent readers, please take the time to comment! Most of what I’m getting is spam at this point – some real people with real feedback would be nice.

And here’s today’s video! Because a little dose of Zmeskal is never a bad thing… watch the first American woman win AA World gold!

Nothing much…

Hey all! I don’t have much to post today (you may have possibly guessed that by the thrilling title), but I really wanted to get on here and at least thank all of you for reading and commenting. I’m overwhelmed at my overall view count, especially since it’s been such a short amount of time… I know there’s lots of silent readers out there! That makes me happy. Though I would always appreciate some feedback, should you find the time! It’s not just for my own personal satisfaction (though that may be a part of it, haha), but rather to better the site as a whole. There’s an empty “stuff from you” page right now that I would love to fill with your personal opinions, submitted videos, and stories! So feel free to share with me at randomgymrants@hotmail.com! And if you make suggestions regarding what you’d like to see more of, I can certainly try to make that happen.

Obviously things are a bit slow in the gymnastics world after Pan Ams, but one piece of news is that Jordyn Wieber has decided to go pro. For any new fans out there, this means she has agreed to accept money from sponsors and endorsements as a professional athlete. What this also does, however, is forfeit her opportunity to compete in NCAA gymnastics (colleges only accept ‘amateur’ gymnasts to compete). Many former elites have taken advantage of the chance to shine more often than elite tends to allow: there are much more frequent competitions, and the code is not nearly as stringent. Courtney Kupets, one of my all-time favorites (and an Olympic silver [TF] and bronze [UB] medalist) is one of the most notable success stories, breaking all sorts of records in her winning streaks. Others, such as Shayla Worley (who I still give mad props to!), have had trouble living up to their previous reputations. There is slight debate about whether Jordyn’s decision was the right one (Should she put all her eggs in the 2012 basket? What if she doesn’t make it? Is she marketable? Will she even get lucrative sponsorships?), but I say go for it. She’s as close to a lock as is possible for next year, and the money she could potentially make could have her set for life. I’m sure she’ll have plenty of endorsements going into London. Some people are kinda worried about her being unfairly out-shined by the returning veterans, which I do get. Shawn does have a Nike deal, and we all know Nastia’s long list of connections (a Max Azria campaign and her own clothing line at JCPenny, not to mention her position in USAG), but really… even if Jordyn only makes one deal, that’s a ton of money. People act as if she can’t go to college, but all that this means is she can’t compete in college. For all we know, she’s already decided she’s not interested in competing after elite anyway. Who are we to judge? (and what do you guys think?)

Next little thing on my mind is Bridget Sloan. She hasn’t seemed herself this year, just tired and sluggish. Are we looking too far into things? Is she just re-adjusting to competition after her injury and some time off? People are worried that the issue is much worse, and that she is possibly regretting her decision to continue. She supposedly decided to go for it after she was asked whether she wanted to watch the Olympics from her dorm room or be there – it hadn’t been a sure thing in her mind previously, which means she had doubt. Even strong doubt. I hope that’s not seeping in. The field is so deep this year, and now only five spots are available. I’d hate to see her crushed after making such an arduous (but perhaps half-hearted) comeback.

Well, that’s it for me on the news front. There’s always more going on, so feel free to remind me of something I forgot. I have to go do my homework now (and I should probably eat something for dinner, too… mmm. I think it’s a fancy Lean Cuisine for me). I’m really putting off this PowerPoint and project summary – I thought PowerPoints ended after my freshman year of college. But on the bright side, I get to wear a costume to class/work tomorrow! I’m Hermione Granger, haha. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

And here’s the routine! Dominique Dawes on floor EF at the 1991 US Nationals! She tied for first with Kim Zmeskal. Love the back-to back tumbling. Only 14 here!

Really quick Pan Ams update!

Hey guys! I have to do this super-fast because I have a lesson plan to write that’s due tomorrow, and it’s already almost 10:00. Haha. I didn’t get to watch the competition since I was in class this evening (and I heard there were difficulties with the live stream cutting out, etc. anyway), but I at least have the results (and some videos!) to share with you all!

First and foremost, USA WON PAN AMS! They were followed by Canada and Mexico on the podium. Secondly, Bridget Sloan did not compete the AA, as most expected her to. I’m actually really happy for both Canada and Mexico. The Canadian girls seem super-sincere and nice, going by the videos I watched of them before Worlds, and I’m sure the Mexican team were excited to medal at home – must have been a great moment.

I know you’re all the most interested in Shawn (I certainly am), so here goes – she fell twice on beam. The first time was on her standing full, which is understandable due to her lack of competition experience (at least lately!) with this skill, but the second one was a surprising – and kinda scary – slip on her split leap (the one that leads to a LOSO back tuck). She lost the whole sequence as a result. BUT… she does seem solid everywhere else. The standing full will come, and we all know the second fall was a total fluke. It shouldn’t affect her much, as she has next year’s Nationals, camps, and finally trials to prove herself. Remember how she fell off beam at 2007 Worlds TF and at the Tyson American Cup? It’s only your last competition that counts before the Olympics, and she DOES have the past history. She’s shown Marta that she’s working in upgrades, too. Her new Weiler kips on bars qualified her to the event finals! Bridgey Caquatto qualified second for the bars EF, her routine is HERE.) She also landed her double on vault fine, which proves consistency.

Here are her routines:

BALANCE BEAM

BARS

VAULT

Brandie Jay qualified FIRST in vault  so congrats to her! Her 2 vaults are HERE. She landed dead center on that first double. Bridgette Caquatto and Brandie Jay will be competing in the AA finals later this week. And… huh. Unfortunately, no American qualified for the BB final. But Jessie DeZiel did come in right under the line (8th) for the FX EF.

So far, I can’t find any video for Sloan, DeZiel, or Grace McLaughlin (the replacement for Memmel, if anyone was wondering why she wasn’t in my original lineup posting), but I’m assuming they’ll all be up soon. This competition, being in Mexico, was surely hard for most of the usual vid posters to attend, and – like I said – the live stream was unreliable. I *am* surprised that Sloan didn’t make any event finals, though!

UPDATE! Bridgette Caquatto won the AA and UB finals! I’m really happy for her, although I’m not a fan of the staggered toe-ons in any gymnast. Still, she has clean lines, and is super-talented. She really deserves some time in the spotlight. Shawn won UB silver, which is a huge step! And finally, Brandie Jay won vault! I had no idea who she was before this comp, honestly. I’m happy she’s had this opportunity to show herself, as I don’t think she’ll be getting anywhere near the 2012 Olympic team (there’s just too many girls)… maybe next quad, and she surely has a bright NCAA future.

In closing, another routine A real classic. Not the best routine ever in terms of dance/difficulty, but my absolute favorite overall. The song choice was perfect for her personality, and awesome to showcase in Atlanta (The Devil Went Down to Georgia!). Here’s Dominique Moceanu’s adorable FX routine in the 1996 Olympic Team Finals!

(By the way, I’m sorry this blog was so short, spazzy, and poorly written… *sigh*. The joys of graduate school. I guess homework should be my priority, but still.

What the title of this blog promises… a random rant.

I was thinking about this new blog of mine earlier today, and sort of realized that the title I had given it – random gym rants – wasn’t exactly matching the posts I’ve made so far, haha. Of course I’m going to keep making this a resource for reliable updates on the gymnastics world, but as there’s nothing huge going on until the 24th (Pan Am team finals), what better time for a rant? So… here goes.

The first thing I really have an issue with is this new 5-person team for the Olympics (and I really wasn’t a fan of the 3-up, 3-count format at Worlds; it really took away from the team dynamic, in my opinion). Not only does this obviously reduce the chance for the girls to secure a spot on the team, it eliminates gymnasts that could contribute majorly (and would have made the team under the previous format). The teams are shrinking: first there were 7 (didn’t this work well? The “Magnificent Seven” should ring a bell!), then 6, and now 5. *sigh* They’d better not get any smaller! The ability to qualify specialists has certainly contributed to this effect; the best on each event can go up, and nobody is obligated to compete on every apparatus. This is great, as some of these talented girls (like Alicia, who can’t compete bars) certainly deserve to compete at the Olympics. We’re also seeing so many more countries qualify individual gymnasts than ever before, and it’s awesome to have the international scope of the sport expand so much. I guess I just miss the old-style competition among brilliant AAers. Not that there aren’t still amazing AAers, of course, but when ALL the gymnasts on a team could be called on in any event (injury crisis, etc) or even just competed each to be solid for the team, it led to some awesome AA surprises; gymnasts stepping out of the shadows. Shannon Miller winning silver in the AA in Barcelona, for example (though I would have loved to see Kim Zmeskal up there). Everyone had that chance, even if it was slim, to qualify. Kerri would have competed AA in 1996 if it weren’t for her ankle, which gave Moceanu the chance of a lifetime to take her place. She didn’t medal, but still. This is what I mean. It can still happen (calling on someone like Gabby or Vega, for example), but at this point… I don’t know. That probably made no sense. But it’s almost an unfair advantage: AAers have to focus on every event, but a specialist who can’t compete in the other three apparatus can easily medal over them, tons more hours under their belt devoted to that one routine. I’m torn. The specialists deserve it, but don’t the AAers deserve it as well? When total proficiency was required (remember compulsories??), at least everyone played on an equal field. Nationals was sorta uneven -  hardly anyone competes AA anymore. The FX mat was… empty.

You can’t blame the gymnasts for taking advantage of the ability to only compete certain events, at least temporarily (Shawn, for example) – it actually leads me to my next topic. The COP (Code of Points). I’m far from an expert, but I do know that the Code is slowly taking away the “Artistic” from “Artistic Gymnastics”, leaving quite a few causalities in its wake. Injuries, I mean. I KNOW that there’s always been injuries in this sport, of course. It’s insanely difficult. But when difficulty is focused on to this extent… I don’t know. There’s only so much a body can handle. Look at the difference in the skills performed over the years (even the last few!): Amanars (Yurchenko 2.5 twists on vault, for those who don’t know – singles and 1.5s used to be the norm back in the day) have increased exponentially. Full-in beam dismounts, double-doubles on floor, 3.5 twists, 5 (or rarely more) tumbling passes… it makes for exciting viewing, sure. I love a good power gymnast (all of you should know that Shawn is my favorite), but we have to remember that these are teenage girls. Children. Most of us couldn’t imagine doing any of these things. Remember how Olga Korbut’s backflip on beam was considered superhuman in the 70s? What would they think of us now? Makes me wonder where we’ll be in another ten years. There haven’t been any major catastrophes as a result of the skills I listed above (knee injuries are the current plague, though, thanks to harder vaults), but the point is that these skills are now required to be competitive. Look at Katelyn Ohashi. She’s dominating the junior scene, but what state will her body in be by the time 2016 rolls around? Where does it stop? And where does artistry fit? I mean, gah – gymnasts have to literally “stick” floor passes now, with no graceful lunge out. Have the composers of the code tried sticking a landing like that on a springy surface after flying out of the air?? Can you say “horrible” for the knees? Hello judges, that lunge out is for artistry and stability, not a step to prevent a fall. Duh. Now we have these awkward (though sometimes beautiful, of course) jumps right after passes to disguise an imperfect landing. There’s a problem when that’s a necessity.

I actually don’t have a major problem with the scoring. I do miss the perfect 10, but I think the old system was prone to a bit of bias (many routines earned 9.8s-9.9s that far from deserved it). What I do have a problem with is how this system is utilized. Why are execution scores almost always a full point off? And WHY can the A-score be increased so indefinitely? 17s and beyond… this is what causes injuries and (excuse my language) code-whoring. Some kind of limit would be helpful, and execution should be more highly regarded.

Whew. That was a lot. One last little topic: for all those who weren’t already aware, Alicia Sacramone posed (tastefully) nude in the Body Issue of ESPN Magazine. And it caused a bit of controversy. All of the “She’s a role model” and all of that jazz. And I get it. But really, when did we start becoming ashamed of the human body? This was not done in any sort of sexual context, only as a means of appreciating the body of a true athlete. It’s not Playboy. But honestly, even if it was Playboy, she is 23 years old. I think that means she can make her own decisions. In my opinion, though, posing for the magazine demonstrates real confidence and pride, which is something to be admired rather than scorned – and something that is an admirable example for young women. Alicia is compact, muscular, toned, and healthy, not-rail thin and bony. She is promoting an active, healthy lifestyle. How is that wrong? Yes, you can see her ribs in the picture, but that’s because she’s practically bent in half! I can see my ribs too, at least when I suck in my breath. She’s beautiful. Here’s the link to the picture/article/video (I won’t post the pic in case some of you are offended by it): http://w.espn.go.com/espnw/body-issue/7054005/alicia-sacramone

And to prove I have a life outside of gymnastics, here are other things I’m interested in lately! AMC’s The Walking Dead (watch it!), Supernatural (the seventh season is getting awesome!), Sarah Michelle Gellar’s new show Ringer, and Psych. Not that I’m a couch potato. Nope. I swear I went to the gym like… a whole… five days ago. Pretty good for me. Still learning how to teach English to non-native speakers – I got to shadow a couple of beginner-level classes at my university of mostly Arabic speakers, and it was incredibly rewarding. I cannot WAIT to teach in South America the next two summers. Anyone been somewhere like Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, or Argentina? Those are probably going to be my options, and I’d love to hear your experiences!

And to close out this post, another great routine. The most famous gymnast I’ve posted so far, but I can’t avoid the classics! Shannon Miller’s ’92 Olympics EF BB routine. She earned the silver:

Better late than never!

I apologize for the extremely late update! Grad school has proven pretty difficult, which I guess isn’t surprising. I’ve decided to shoot for Stanford for my PhD, which adds to the stress level! I’m excited though. And anyway, to get to all things gym-related… WOW. I’ll start from where I left off, though I’m sure all of you already know all of these things by now, lol.

1.) About Pan Ams: No Chellsie. Thanks to that nagging shoulder injury, she had to have surgery. That means the team is reduced to only TWO AA World Champs and Olympians, but that’s still pretty impressive for a Pan Am team, haha. I absolutely adore Chellsie, but I’m not sure I see her making next year’s team. Poor girl’s just incredibly fragile, and I don’t think Marta will risk it. Not that there wouldn’t be a host of amazing possible alternates. I think her body’s just rebelling. She’s great on bars, but her skills only nag that shoulder.

2.) Anna Li has an abdominal injury that (obviously) prevented her from competing at Worlds. But the biggest news was that ASac ruptured her Achilles tendon! That made me so so depressed, because Alicia’s been a favorite of mine for a long time. She REALLY deserves a rewarding Olympics – she barely missed the bar in 2004, and we all know what happened in 2008. World gold medals (she now beats the record, technically earning one with the team!) are GREAT, but are not the same as Olympic gold. I hope she heals quickly.

3.) With so many gymnasts injuring themselves (Aly Raisman had a scare after a beam dismount), people were freaking over the internet about Team USA’s chances in Tokyo (including me ). Would Marta fly Shawn out, as the non-traveling alternate? Would they even have enough time to do that? Some people were even unsure of our chances at medalling with such a young team, though it was still clear we would qualify. But…

4.) USA won TEAM GOLD!!! By a large margin, too. (179.411) Russia was over 4 points behind (175.329), followed by China (172.820) and Romania (172.412). I’m so so proud of all the girls. They all proved their worth, hitting every routine even without the stabling force of a seasoned veteran. Raisman was the only one to have been to a World Championships, and she definitely acted as de facto leader (check out the cute little huddle in the TF!) I can only hope that this team gold isn’t an omen for Olympic silver like it seems to have been in the past, lol.

5.) Jordyn won AA GOLD! There’s more talk about the scoring controversy (Komova was only a fraction of a hair behind, and was visibly upset about this in the coverage) than there is about this incredible win, but even Komova and her coach have admitted that she could have had a better night. People should just trust the judges and give credit where credit is due! Jordyn (despite a shaky UB set) totally rocked it! Raisman placed a very respectable fourth, a rock yet again in competition.

6.) Maroney won VAULT! This is not exactly a surprise, as she has the best Amanar ever performed (this is not even up for debate!), but I couldn’t help but think of Alicia. Would have loved to see them face off! And OMG to Chusovitina. ANOTHER world medal to her epic collection (silver here). That woman amazes me. I teared up at Phan Thi Ha Thanh’s bronze medal on vault, the first world medal for Vietnam (and her ticket to London). It was clear how proud and happy she was. Thanks to the ability to qualify specialists, we’re seeing lots of countries on both sides (men and women) that we don’t normally see, and I think it’s great.

7.) Komova won UB! I was happy that she was able to redeem herself a bit; she deserved a gold one way or another. Poor Gabby hit her foot on the low bar and barely caught a release move, but it was amazing she was able to qualify to an event final! Yay Gabby! Jordyn placed fourth.

8.) Jordyn earned ANOTHER medal (bronze) on beam! I love Jordyn’s routine, and she performed it better than ever. Aly pulled out the stops for fourth. They’re both so solid. They might not have the dance/artistry of Komova, but the code doesn’t exactly make it easy to have both!

9.) Aly got BRONZE on FX! She finally got the chance to shine over Jordyn (uncharacteristically placing sixth), and I was so happy to see it. I love her music!

10.) Pan Ams are SOON! Team finals start on the 24th, and I can’t wait to see Shawn compete! Though a tweet of hers indicates that she probably won’t be competing AA, as her floor isn’t quite ready. Hope this changes!

11.) Nastia is making a comeback. No exclamation point here because I’m a bit tentative – there’s some anger on the internet about her choice of timing on this announcement (taking attention away from the world team), but I don’t think it was malicious on her part. She was asked the question, after all, and people always get on her about stringing us all along… I’m at least glad I know what the situation is! I love her gymnastics, but I’m wary of this promise. She’s seemed so… different lately. Celeb-like. I guess I can’t blame her, though. She’s probably more prepared than we all think, and she has been training in Tokyo. Marta seems pretty happy about it, so we’ll see! She’s planning bars and beam as of now, and there is a hole on bars that she could fill nicely.

Whew. A list was the best way to do that. TONS of stuff going on! Hence the bold and CAPS I keep utilizing, haha. What was your favorite moment at Worlds? What are you most looking forward to in the coming months? Predictions for Pan Ams? Alicia? Chellsie?! Ahhhh, I cannot wait! I’ll be in South America teaching English next summer, but hopefully I can still watch the Olympics!

And, as per usual, here’s my amazing routine of the day (beam again, what an absolute shocker) – Katelyn Ohashi. MAN do I wish she made the age cutoff for 2012! Her skills are amazing, but I worry about the potential for injury. Is she chucking too many difficult skills too early? She still has more than four years of competition ahead of her before the 2016 Olympics, after all…

Ahhh well…

So the World team was announced! They made us wait long enough – I’ve been putting off my homework for fear of missing out, and just when I had given up hope of anything being announced until tomorrow morning (my 22nd birthday, incidentally, which would have been fitting!), intlgymnast.com posted the final lineup. I know it’s naive of me, but the first thing I noticed was no Shawn. I knew her chances were a bit slimmer, but I have to admit that I really hoped she’d pull it off. She wanted it so badly! I guess everybody does, though. The other thing I noticed is that the team includes both Vega and Li. I’m assuming Vega is probably the alternate, but I was a bit surprised. They’re great gymnasts, but I didn’t think they had the necessary consistency. I am happy for them, though. It’s a huge deal to come from NCAA and make a World team. I do actually like Vega, but she scares me a little in competition. She always looks really nervy, but the talent is definitely there. I feel like Marta’s trying to test these girls… if they prove themselves, they’ll be an asset in 2012. If they don’t, she’ll know for sure one way or another.

I guess I should state the team in its entirety: Jordyn Wieber (of course!), Gabrielle Douglas (yay for her, I’m so excited), McKayla Maroney, Anna Li, Aly Raisman, Alicia Sacramone (rock it, girl), and Sabrina Vega. I heard through the grapevine that Shawn is the second alternate. Correct me if I’m wrong. She DID make Pan Ams, which I think will be a huge stepping stone for her (particularly if she manages to pull it out and win). The team is an odd mixture of extremely accomplished veterans and newbies, though. Sorta unprecedented: three Olympians – all former AA World gold medallists – on a Pan Am team? *scratches head* I think the other gymnasts are going to be a bit intimidated, haha.  The entire Pan Am team is: Shawn Johnson, Chellsie Memmel, Bridget Sloan, Bridgette Caquatto, Jessica DeZiel, and Brandie Jay. I think I’m more excited to watch this than Worlds! If someone pulls out of the comp, I’m hoping Wofford gets the spot. She deserves it. And did anyone else notice no WOGA gymnasts? I know this is only due to Bross’ injury, but it’s still another first, at least for a very long time. This year’s just all topsy-turvy.

That’s it for this post! I have to actually go and finish my work now. Maybe I’ll be able to concentrate; there’s no more speculation rolling around in my head. So to conclude, I’m a bit disappointed. But congratulations to all the girls who made it!

Here’s the video for today’s post. Tell me this isn’t absolutely spectacular. Kui Yuan Yuan’s BB EF at 1997 Worlds – like the poster says under the video, it should have won her gold. And notice Shawn’s planned tumbling pass (the BHS+BHS+Layout Full) here! In 1997! Wow.

WORLDS!!! Who’s going??

Alright, so I’m a little excited. Can anyone tell? Haha. As all gym fans know by now, the US WAG World’s team for Tokyo is close to being announced! Tomorrow maybe…? Hopefully. The “provisional” team was announced a little while ago, and includes Jordyn, Alicia, McKayla, Aly, Macko, and Anna Li. Word from camp, however (not that we can always trust it) is that Mackenzie hurt herself on a fall from beam and may be out for a while. Not sure if she can do bars, etc., or if she’s totally out of the Worlds game. Poor girl, she’s awesome. And always solid as a rock. Camps – in my opinion – are way too intensive, especially less than a year away from the Olympics. Health is the most important thing, and having all of the best girls prepared for the Olympics is certainly more important than having them prepared for Worlds. *sigh* Word on Anna Li seems mixed: apparently she’s doing better of late, but didn’t start off particularly consistent. She has an awesome set with a super-high SV, but that doesn’t mean anything without reliability. Hopefully, her college experience (constant competition, much more frequent pressure than elite) will help her pull through.

I think Memmel is probably out for Worlds, which is for the best if her shoulder really is bothering her. We want her rested and ready to rock it next year; she doesn’t have to prove herself to anybody anymore. She may have an alternate spot. Douglas has a good chance at making the team for bars without (possibly) Li or Macko (WOW on her height on releases!). I feel for her, her dad being in Afghanistan, and having to prove herself as a senior elite so close to the Olympics. I’d like to see her make it, but if Marta feels it’s too much of a risk, she’s surely going to Pan Ams. Probably with Bridgette Caquatto and Vega. Apparently Bridget Sloan is looking pretty great. Love that girl, and miss seeing her in competition! Yay for the veterans. She snuck up from nowhere in ’08, and may do the same thing again.

But I think everyone knows the big story here is Shawn! Her tweets are optimistic, but it could go either way. I’d LOVE to see her with a spot – apparently she won beam at camp because she already added her back full+BHS. Wonder if she’s hiding any more difficulty? She needs it to stake her claim. I think she’s at least an alternate, and if she doesn’t go she’ll have a great chance to win AA at Pan Ams. That’ll be a great confidence builder going into the Olympic year. She did just sprain her ankle, but apparently it’s healing quickly; she doesn’t seem to think it’s affected her chances.

Poor Becca. I didn’t get to blog about her knee injury, but boy did I cringe when watching that live. I really just wanted to cry. Dislocated kneecaps have relatively short recovery times, however, and I’m sure she’ll still make the Oly team.

Who do you guys want to see make it? What about to Pan Ams? What are your predictions? Do you think the Russians are going to dominate without Mustafina (darn vault and what bad landings do to knees!) thanks to Komova and Dementyeva?

And, as per (extremely new) tradition, here’s one of my favorite beam routines ever! I didn’t mention Pavlova in my “favorites” post, but I should have

 

Excited for Visas!

Hey everyone! I keep forgetting that I have this blog, and therefore keep forgetting to write down things I’ve been thinking lately. Number one on the list? Nats! I’m so pumped, seriously. Obviously a bit bummed that Shawn’s not going for the AA, but I get it – she said that she doesn’t have a floor routine set yet, but she does have all the dance and the tumbling. Makes me wonder if the music is even finalized? We thought she was doing the Florence and the Machine song for a while, then at Classics there was a different track playing. Anyway, for those who were wondering, her passes would be a double arabian, full in, double pike + jump, and a whip to double. She has said that those passes are “Not her hardest”, which is obviously true but also totally hilarious. Only Shawn could say that about a double arabian and a full-in, bahaha. I’m thinking the arabian will eventually turn into a full-twisting DLO and the whip to double will be a whip to triple? And some sort of front tumbling eventually. Her bars dismount looks better in podium training (stuck!), and she added a side aerial to her BB routine. Unfortunately, the sheep jump is still there. The one training video we do have shows her falling on her split 1/2 leap, but I’m confident that will be fine by tonight. Crossing my fingers for her!

Meanwhile, I’m really rooting for Aly in the AA – she did win Classics, but I think her confidence needs a boost after her disastrous UB set. Brestyan REALLY needs to get a bars coach, seriously. When you have two naturally gifted and super talented athletes like Alicia and Aly who can’t conquer the bars, there’s obviously a problem. Could keep Aly off of the Olympic team, and certainly robbed Alicia of earning AA medals. On the subject of Alicia, she’s always been a favorite of mine! I know she’ll do fantastic. She seems to have reached a new confidence level lately. I hope Becca does well too, though there’s something about her I can’t fully like. She seems sweet in interviews, but really doesn’t connect to the audience in her performances – a bit too intense. I know you’re with WOGA, but have some fun girl! Valeri won’t kill you. She’s essentially got it in the bag, but I worry about the intense pressure on her (seriously, going to a gym that already produced two AA champs, run by a gold medalist, cannot be easy), and even her marketability. Not sure she has the wide appeal of a Shawn or a Nastia. And her beam mount makes me gasp out of nervousness every time! Seems like unnecessary risk.

And go Chellsie! You got it girl! She rocks my socks off. She still needs some refinement, but she’ll be there. Marta seemed grudgingly impressed in the Visa interview, even though I know Chellsie hasn’t been coming to camps. Can’t wait to see Anna Li’s bars! Praying for no scary fall this time!

I could go on forever about this comp, and I haven’t even mentioned the juniors yet! So I’ll stop. Only t-minus an hour and fifteeen minutes until Day 1 for Senior Women is on! And don’t forget guys, AA is 8:00 on Saturday!

I think my new tradition will be ending with a video of one of my favorite routines. I’ll vary them across the decades, and try to include both popular and obscure gymnasts. Here’s an all-time fave of mine, actually a warm-up routine – she fell in competition on the Gainer to Onodi combo, but it’s beautiful here. Enjoy the lovely Yekaterina Vandisheva, circa 1993!

some of my ultimate favorites

I thought this might be a good way to start this blogging thing. Here are my top 10 favorite gymnasts. My choices aren’t made based on talent or accomplishments – they are solely determined by who I most enjoy watching. I’d enjoy seeing what you guys think! Believe me, I know there are tons of worthy ones that I don’ t have listed here. Please, don’t say “You forgot…” ’cause I didn’t forget anything! Again, this a completely personal selection. (I also include a wider selection in my video Some of My Favorite Moments in Gymnastics)

10. Svetlana Khorkina – Love her or hate her, nobody denies that she was electric to watch. Yes, she was the ultimate bitchy ‘diva’ of the sport. Yes, she got incredibly rail-thin and unhealthy looking at one point. But her talent? Crazy awesome. I love gymnasts that have personality, even if it might not be sparkling! And, though this list is not based on girls with the most impressive stats, her 3 Olympics and 11 GOLD World and Olympic medals (27 total!)  are nothing to scoff at.

9. Tatiana Groshkova – This super-talented girl never lived up to her full potential, cracking when it counted most in competition and never making it to the Olympics. But her flexibility (and skills way ahead of her time) were phenomenal. Check out her 1990 US vs. USSR beam to get an idea.

8. Yang Bo – She was great on every event, but places on my list because of her absolutely stunning beam work. She made it look effortless. Unfortunately, she lacks the medals she deserved. Dismounts always took off the precious tenths it took to place at major international competition.

7. Jade Barbosa – There’s just something I love about this girl. Always smiling, great sportsmanship. She has awesome power!

6. Amy Chow – Probably the most unheralded member of the Mag 7 – only competing vault and bars in the TF sort of allowed her to be overshadowed by the others. Her relative awkwardness on floor and natural shyness also stopped her from acquiring a super-large fanbase… but I stand by the fact that her natural ability exceeds almost everyone else. Aside from her awesome stalders and double-double dismount on bars, she was able to chuck skills at exhibitions with very little training behind them. Add concert pianist and champion diver to the list, and she’s almost superhuman. Then becoming a pediatrician with a doctorate from Stanford? She makes us all look bad. You go Amy.

5. Kim Zmeskal – I adore this girl. She was such an engaging and entertaining performer in the early 90s – her floor and beam were always amazing. It’s a shame what happened to her in ’92, but I give her super props for coming back and trying to make Sydney. What an inspiration, yeah?

4. Shannon Miller – I gave Shannon this spot almost entirely because of her beam from ’91-’92. So beautiful and graceful. Her poise and form are simply unsurpassed, and I feel for her having to put up with Steve Nunno. She recently went through chemo, and is doing well. Though she hasn’t always been my favorite personality-wise, I’ll always admire her and wish her all the best.

3. Dominique Moceanu – Who didn’t love her? Again, not always my favorite personality-wise (especially later in life), I do admire her for speaking her mind about the Karolyis. Whether or not you think it was because she was snubbed in 2005 or not, I have no doubt that her words are true. Her performances were awesome, and she’ll always hold a special place in my heart for sparking my interest in gymnastics.

2. Shawn Johnson – I really admire this girl. Besides her awesome talent (double-double on floor, double twisting DLO bars dismount anyone?), she seems genuinely sweet and dedicated to the sport. I’m really rooting for her comeback, and can’t wait to see her full-twisting DLO on floor and the rumored layout full on beam.

1. Vanessa Atler – The only non-Olympian on the list next to Groshkova, but I still feel that – had her mental state been better – she could have done wonders for the US team in Sydney. Her talent, particularly on vault, was exceptional, and she just had a presence about her. Her meltdown was painful to watch, and I couldn’t be happier that she’s doing better now as a coach and choreographer.

Alright, I can’t resist doing an honorable mentions here… others I love include Amanda Borden, Dominique Dawes, Alicia Sacramone, Cheng Fei, He Kexin, Yang Yilin, Ksenia Semenova, Tatiana Groshkova, Nastia Liukin, Courtney Kupets and – YES – Nadia Comaneci and Olga Korbut. Who are your favorites?

friendly introduction

Hi everybody! Not exactly sure why I decided to create this site. Really, I’m stumped. I do love everything to do with gymnastics… that’s certainly true. And writing is something I enjoy (I’d better, considering my degree in English literature). Furthermore, I’ve always enjoyed reading blogs – they’re far less formal and stuffy than any other news or information outlet, and I think they provide a unique opportunity to convey an individual personality and viewpoint. To sum everything up, I guess there are a fair few reasons that could have inspired my sudden urge to put keypad to screen. What confuses me, however, is that none of these truths have compelled me before. I’ve been content lurking gymnastics forums. I’ve created a pretty strong YouTube presence, managing to compile 160 subscribers to my mostly gymnastics channel. I watch gymnastics clips every day, continuously attempting to increase my knowledge of this great sport. What I think I was really lacking, however, was a voice! I want to be able to say what I want to say, no matter how random or illogical. It gets a little tiresome making intricate YouTube videos (though I do love it), and I hate getting into arguments in forums or comments. This puts me in control! Not that I don’t want to hear from everybody!

Not sure what I’m going to post yet. But stay tuned.