Olympic Gymnastics!

@oralloy,

Now I can post - what the heck happened to the US men - they stunk it up. They had to leave it up to some teenage girls to grab some medals.

What about Aly - she came through. No one came close to her on the floor exercise.

I heard this morning that a guy behind her parents complained to her dad to sit down - probably why he moved to the aisle and out of his seat to watch - as a parent had to be difficult to stay sitting down.

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@Linkat,

I was actually disappointed in the women's individual results although perhaps that's not fair. With the gold in the team event and the gold in the all-around, I thought we'd do better than one gold, one silver and one bronze in the individuals. It seems like the US has all the top vaulters in the world but we only had one gymnast competing? Douglas didn't have a hope on the uneven bars because she didn't even attempt a routine with a high enough starting value to win? Maybe the earlier events just got my expectations up too much.

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@engineer,

They need to have the top qualifying scores to compete in the individual events. Not sure why the US did not have vaulters that had high enough scores...also not 100% sure if the most that a country can have representing in each event is 2 like the all around. For example even if the entire US team had the highest qualifying scores for their entire team than any other individual from other countries - only two can compete.

I think Gabby, as great as she did in the all around and team, was overwhelmed and tired out. I think it did her in the individual events. Besides that it was only Aly, the vaulting girl and the one other girl (who was favored) - so Aly considered the most reliable came through.

And the first time ever a US gymnast won a gold in floor. Pretty good.

Also - the US women's tend to focus on winning the team. So they try to selectively pick the best overall team. That's why in the past you see less of individual medalling in women's gymnastics.

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@Linkat,

You are probably right, but what we remember are the individuals. Who remembers how many medals were taken by teammates of Olga Korbut or Nadia Cominishi?

If you're here, Nadia, sorry I butchered the spelling, but you deserved mention.

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@engineer,

engineer wrote:

I was actually disappointed in the women's individual results although perhaps that's not fair. With the gold in the team event and the gold in the all-around, I thought we'd do better than one gold, one silver and one bronze in the individuals. It seems like the US has all the top vaulters in the world but we only had one gymnast competing? Douglas didn't have a hope on the uneven bars because she didn't even attempt a routine with a high enough starting value to win? Maybe the earlier events just got my expectations up too much.

That's what happens when the only gymnasts we send to the Olympics have been selected with the team all-around in mind. In the team all-around, someone who does reasonably well in multiple events is almost always preferred over someone who does spectacular in a single event.

The individual gymnastics events would be a lot better if each event had its own independent qualifying so that athletes who are passed over for the team could still compete in them.

Regarding the vault, you have to do two vaults in qualifying to make the vault finals. Making the team and/or individual all-around only requires each gymnast to do a single vault in qualifying.

Usually people who are focused on the all-around will only do a single vault. In our case, only our vault specialist did a second vault in qualifying.

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@Linkat,

Linkat wrote:

not 100% sure if the most that a country can have representing in each event is 2 like the all around. For example even if the entire US team had the highest qualifying scores for their entire team than any other individual from other countries - only two can compete.

Yes. Same rule applies to the apparatus finals.

I've heard a lot of complaints about this rule, but it really seems consistent with the Olympics so far as I can see.

China could probably send 20 gold medal favorites to every diving and table tennis event. And Ethiopia could probably send 50 gold medal favorites to the marathon, with Kenya sending another 50. Yet they are all limited to two or three athletes per event. This gymnastics rule seems similar in nature.

Linkat wrote:

I think Gabby, as great as she did in the all around and team, was overwhelmed and tired out. I think it did her in the individual events.

After she won the all-around, she was mobbed for interviews, and did much less training than she otherwise would have been able to do leading into the apparatus finals.

Linkat wrote:

the one other girl (who was favored)

Jordyn Wieber has apparently been dealing with a stress fracture all summer. That not only limited her directly on the floor of the Olympics, it has also dramatically curtailed her training routines.

Linkat wrote:

Also - the US women's tend to focus on winning the team. So they try to selectively pick the best overall team. That's why in the past you see less of individual medalling in women's gymnastics.

Yes. Exactly.

It would be better if every gymnastic event had its own independent qualifying, so people who don't fit into team calculations could still compete in individual events.

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@roger,

Did you know that Nadia is now married to Bart Connors - from the gold medal US men's team.

I remember the teams as well as the individuals - I think it has more to do with the individuals that watch just the olympics vs those that watch gymnastics. I am not that much an avid fan - but I've followed it having participated in the sport.

But whether the average viewer remembers the individuals or the teams - that is what the US tries to do - pull together the best team. Didn't work at all this year for the men.

Also, I do think there is some validity to the fact that the teams that end up participating as best overall team (and best overall gynmastics) end up not performing as well in the individual events - they are spent physically and mentally from those other days of competition.

The one thing I like about the individual event is that you see some incredible performances. I really loved the men's high bar. The guy was Netherlands was incredible and also the guy from Germany.

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@oralloy,

Quote:

The individual gymnastics events would be a lot better if each event had its own independent qualifying so that athletes who are passed over for the team could still compete in them.

I agree - they do this with many other sports like track and field/swimming. Where there are team races and individual races. Would make for some much more exciting individual events.

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@oralloy,

Yes I heard about that stress fracture yesterday. Too bad because it would have been nice to see her perform at her top.

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@roger,

I once did a five foot painting of Nadia. I was just starting in at painting. Used a clip from Newsweek that was about 1 x 1 1/2 inches. I'm glad I don't still have that thing - gave it to my brother in law's girlfriend's daughter - have no idea what happened to it since.

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@ossobuco,

Here is the family

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQtYWPy6OXveEO5C10xTj0thScJXxf8BDeI_u8dlZCvwmrjUGFunST9VFs9

Just imagine that little boy should be incredible gymnast with those genes.

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@Linkat,

So true - if, natch, he wants to be.

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Rhythmic Gymnastics starts today. Cool

How much of it will be covered on American TV, well.... Let's just say I won't get my hopes up. Neutral

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@oralloy,

no, not popular here in the US.

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@Linkat,

And that is really too bad since the moves are much more complex and flat out amazing that the standard gymnastics floor routines.

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Maroney is getting a lot of press these days. First her amazing vault, then her fall in the individuals, then the really impressive face she made at the medal ceremony became an Internet meme, and most recently she tried to teach Jenna Bush how to "Dougie".

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@engineer,

Heh heh. I think I could come to like her.

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@engineer,

she's got the teenage attitude going. I guess this actually makes her seem more a teenager - a real girl.

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@Linkat,

Linkat wrote:

no, not popular here in the US.

Actually it looks like there is a bit of rhythmic gymnastics scheduled for daytime coverage on NBC this morning and early afternoon.

(And off topic, but Australia's synchronized swim team just performed to AC/DC. Both "Back in Black" and "Thunderstruck". Mr. Green

)

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@oralloy,

Yeah - the stuff on during the day - is the ones that are not as popular - the ones from 8pm onward are the most popular. But at least they have TV coverage which means they are becoming more popular. Doesn't look like any US made it to the final round for rhythmic.

That is awesome - makes synchronized swimming much more entertaining.

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Olympic Gymnastics!

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