Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Hongs Regret Move to Blue Springs

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - Olympic alternate Ivana Hong says her road to the Olympics was a lot rockier than anyone had known.

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Ivana, like many other young gymnasts, moved to Blue Springs to train with Al Fong, who has built up his Gage Gym to national prominence.

At age 11, Ivana left her father behind in California, coming to Blue Springs with her mother and three siblings to train with Fong. It is a decision the Hong family says they regret.

In a gym, Fong looks the part of a master motivator especially through the eyes of a teenage girl.

“I was kind of intimidated by him,” Ivana told NBC Action News. “I always saw him at camps when I was really little."

Intimidated or not, Ivana thought she needed Fong’s tough love to make the Olympics.

Fong coached two silver medalists in 2004 and Ivana seemed destined to become his next big success story.

For four years, Ivana trained under Fong. Just four months before Olympic trials, her ankle started hurting.

The 15-year-old says she tried to tell her coach, but he wouldn’t listen.

“They kept telling me that nothing was wrong with my foot,” Ivana said. “I knew what was wrong with it, but I wasn’t going to be like ‘I have a fracture in my foot and I’m not gonna train.’”

Fong discouraged Ivana from seeking medical treatment. Against his wishes, Ivana’s mother took her to a doctor, who confirmed she had a fractured ankle.

With the Olympics looming, Ivana thought she had no choice but to trudge on.

She finished fifth in the team trials, earning an invite to the team’s selection camp.

Her lifelong dream was still in reach, but it had become clear her fractured ankle had fractured her relationship with her coach.
Ivan’s mother says Fong simply stopped instructing her daughter.

“She wasn’t being coached,” Michelle Hong says, “And I don’t know what I was paying for.”

Fong says Ivana gave up. He refused an on-camera interview, but told NBC Action Sports “It became blatant she flat-out quit. It was almost as we were taken down a deep dark path.”

That path ended with Ivana just missing an Olympic bid.

“Just because I wasn’t crying at the very moment they named the team, they think I don’t really care whether I made it or not,” Ivana says. “I was just trying to keep it all in and now it feels like maybe if I did something or if they did something different, it wouldn’t have ended up this way.”

vana says Fong’s tough love became too tough to take. Ivana soon left Gage Gym and is now conducting a national search for a gym where she will train for the 2012 Olympics.

Her foot still has not healed and some of the pain from her experience might never go away.

“It didn’t end up as big as I wanted it to, but I don’t want to regret for the rest of my life moving here.”

Sadly, this is a common tale in the gymastics world.

A few years ago, a book was written on the subject titled “Little Girls in Pretty Boxes.” That book mentions Al Fong and how two of his former gymnasts died.

One was paralyzed in a training accident; the other died from organ failure after a bout with an eating disorder, which she said Fong contributed to with name-calling.

Fong denied repeated requests from NBC Action Sports for an interview, saying he wanted to focus on the future and the promising gymnasts he has left at his gym.

Hmm... I'm beginning to wonder, is he really a "Bela" type coach. I kind of gave him the benefit of the doubt with Henrich, and McCool and Humphrey never let on any complaints. But then again, i'm wondering are more caoches than I originally thought, or all coaches, like this?

Thursday, October 23, 2008

What about some EXCLUSIVE pics?!

Whoa, I actually have something no one else will have. So a friend of a friend who lives in NYC snapped these 2 paparazzi-style shots of Nast in NYC at a party.
Shot #1:
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Shot #2:
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I believe that this shot, from Gettty Images, was taken earlier the same day.
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US Weekly Hot Hollywood Issues Celebration NEW YORK - OCTOBER 21: Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin attends US Weekly's Hot Hollywood Issue Celebration at Skylight on October 21, 2008 in New York City.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Alicia rocks some awesome riding boots

TEAM USA Gymnastics Silver Medallist Alicia Sacramone visits the 24Hour Fitness Thousand Oaks Sports Club
THOUSAND OAKS, CA - OCTOBER 01: TEAM USA Gymnastics Silver Medallist Alicia Sacramone visits the 24Hour Fitness Thousand Oaks Sports Club on October 01, 2008 at in Thousand Oaks, CA.



I very much want legs like hers.

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She looks blonder, IMO.
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Shawn can eat ice cream again

Q What can you eat now that was verboten during training?

A Shawn Johnson: "Oh, ice cream! Edy's ice cream. There was a little time to splurge right after the Olympics." But she works to stay in shape even on the road. "I try to work out a little every day. Even if just in the workout room at the hotel."


Source

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Shawn Johnson: Hello, President Bush!

Shawn Johnson: Hello, President Bush!

Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson lands in Washington D.C. to meet with President George Bush at the White House on Monday.

“I am heading to the White House along with all USA Olympians for an honorary visit which I am so excited about,” the 16-year-old gymnast wrote on her blog.

At the airport, one videographer asked Shawn: “Do you look up to the Jonas Brothers? Are you excited to meet President Bush?”

She responded, “Yeah, I am.”

When asked if President George Bush will take away their Gold Medals to help bail out the economy, Shawn just laughed.


How cute is she?!

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Friday, October 3, 2008

The Evolution of gymnasts' hairdos

Let's take a journey down the road of hairstyles....

The Bubble
Wow, talk about a style that is not conducive for gymnastics. How do you flip and do giant swings or even run for that matter, whith this bubble-beehive on your head?
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The Pigtails
This style also does not seem conducive for doing acrobatics -- don't ponytails on either side of your head get in the way? BUT, it's cute as a button, I'll give it that.
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The Ribbon
Again, another cute look but that is fianlly practical. It's kind of the "all-business" look with a touch of flair.
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The Boy Cut
It was the 80s, I guess women felt the need to be liberated from that long, ironed-straight hair from teh 70s, not to mention the ultimate practical hairdo for the sport.
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BANGS
Oh, my goodness. Bangs came, and long overstayed their welcome. I mean, check this out. A decade of poofy bangs. The requisite hairstyle was ponytail, about 9 metal clips and the curled, poofy bangs in front. Curling irons were put to very good use.
1986:
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1992:
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1993:
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1996:
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Glitter and/or corn rows
Apparently, no one understood the concept of all things in moderation. People went insane with the glitter.
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And meanwhile, it seemed like the Parkettes began experimenting with corn rows. Fortunately, this was short-lived.
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Things were rather subdued from 2000 -2005. I think we were calming down from the many trends that were just wacko and thigns were very plain. A style began to develop in about 2007 though that was in reaction to the decade plus of bangs.

The bang poof
Just about every girl on the Beijing team did this. Finally, a happy medium.
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A Clarification

A fellow blogger commented on my "body type "entry, saying that gymnasts with bodies like Maloney and Raducan still went on to have great successes. I didn't mean to suggest that they could not; only that with a body like Nastia's, you've already got a tremendous advantage in the bag.

Case in point, look at this pose:

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With a body like Liukin's, this is just going to look prettier on her than someone else with legs that are shorter and more muscular. But obviously, gymnasts like Shawn Johnson still went on to win titles. I'm just saying that it gives Nastia an extra "wow" factor that her legs are SO long, straight and lean.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Here's "Liukin" at you, kid

I am so funny, I know.

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 14: Athlete Nastia Liukin attends Woman's Day Frosted Pink with a Twist at San Diego Sports Arena on September 14, 2008 in San Diego, California.

Chinese Olympic gymnasts legit, federation finds

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- The Chinese women's gymnastics team did not use underage competitors during this year's Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, the International Gymnastics Federation said Wednesday.
Widespread reports claimed that gold medal winner He Kexin was only 14 years old.
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The federation said it has concluded its inquiry into the matter after it confirmed the gymnasts' ages through official documents that the Chinese Gymnasts Association provided. The documents included passports, identity cards and household registers.

However, the organization intends to further investigate the ages of two gymnasts, Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun, who participated in the 2000 summer games in Sydney, Australia. The federation said it did not consider the explanations and evidence that Chinese authorities provided in regard to those athletes as satisfactory.

The International Olympic Committee had asked gymnastics officials to clarify the situation after numerous commentators, bloggers and others questioned whether about half the members of China's team were old enough to compete.
Athletes must be at least 16 in the year the games take place. In women's gymnastics, younger girls can have an advantage over older competitors on account of their often smaller, lighter and more agile bodies.

The Chinese women's gymnastics team won a gold medal in a team competition at the Beijing games, and five members won individual medals.

One of the challenges came from a blogger known as "Stryde Hax." The blogger claimed to have uncovered proof that Chinese gymnast He Kexin is only 14.

In Internet searches, "Stryde Hax" allegedly uncovered Web pages showing lists complied by China's General Administration of Sport that show a 1994 date of birth for He.

CNN was not been able to independently verify the information, but snapshots of the Web pages appeared to back up the claim. Other bloggers joined the search and reported similar results.

The New York Times conducted its own investigation, producing similar results that seem to implicate He and two other members of the team. The Times uncovered a 2006 biography on He that lists her birthday as January 1, 1994.

The International Gymnastics Federation, however, has said that those gymnasts were eligible and that the ages on their passports were correct.

Chinese gymnastics coaches also defended their team.

"Asians have different figures than people from the West, so that's what caused their suspicion," said Huang Yubin, head coach of the men's and women's teams, referring to media inquiries. "They shouldn't be suspicious."

Personally, I think the FIG is pleased to turn the other cheek, because 12 years ago, 14 was OK and they made the decision to raise the age for political correctness. No one wants to strip anyone else of medals, nor piss of the world's best gymnastics team. I wish we would go back to the old age, but if you're going to have this rule, for Pete's sake, find a better way fo enforcing it. This is making us (gymnastics enthusiasts) look bad.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Did Cox screw me over?

Well I don't know about anyone reading this, but where I live, they didn't broadcast the Gymnastics Tour on Friday. :0(

For all who haven't seen, there is a STUNNING routine on Live.Breath.Love.Gymnastics of Nastia performing on floor to Ave Maria. I mean wow.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Most emotional gymnastics moments

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite "moments" that yes, can bring a tear to my eye. (Uber dork, I know).

1. Lavinia Milosovi: 1995 World Championships, All-Around
Lavinia Milosovici ends her competition on the balance beam. She does a good, solid routine. When she's finished, she leaps off the podium and squats down and puts her head in her hands and begins to cry. Why, she has done ane xcellent routine? Rather, it is the pressure of finishing the competition, her fourth world all-around competition, and just knowing that it's over. This really spoke to me, because you think of gymnasts being nervous before the routine. it's amazing to see her let this emotion out after the routine was over, and after a hit routine.

2. Dominique Dawes: 1993 Worlds, All-Around; 1994 Worlds, All-Around; 1996 Olympics, All-Around
In each competition, Dom was leading until silly mistakes, in 93 and 94 on her final rotation on one of her best events. Why does this happen? and 2 years in a row. I think 1996 might have been the worst though. I think it devastated her. In a 1997 interview almost a year later, she relived the moment and began crying even then, a year later, saying "You go to the Olympics to medal individually, at least for your second one you do....I guess it's just me being hard on myself, but why shouldn't I be?"

3. Shannon Miller: 1996 Olympics, All-Around
After her floor exercise with three potential areas for deduction, she could not stop hysterically crying. And this is a sport where most athletes suck it up and don't cry, even when it comes to big dissapointments. and even though Shannon is known t be a cyer, she just didn't stop. At one point we here Steve say in a low voice, "STOP CRYING...there's people EVERYWHERE...stop crying." Geez,steve. This is a life-long dream that was just crushed. At the opening of the ceremony, they show a picture of 4-year-old Shannon, saying that it had been a lifetime dedication...that always makes me tear up.

3. Vanessa Atler: 1999 U.S. Nationals, All-Around
This was where Vanessa had a disaster for the third year ina row on the bars, and her coach, who had a microphone on, basically blasted her on network tv. She was humiliated, not to mention personally devastated at missing this event yet again. This was the final straw that led her to leave the Rybackis. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when that went down.

4. Shannon Miller, 1992 Olympics, All-Around
I still can't help but cry when I watch this. I know we've had all-around gold medelists since then (Carly, Nastia) and I know Shannon "only" got teh silver, but dude, back then the silver might as well have been the gold. To me, the competition back then was so much more steep. Look at all the potential gymnasts who could have medaled: Milosovici, Bontas, Okino, Zmeskal, Lysenko, Boginskaya...Shannon outperformed anyone's expectations. She LOOKED like a Soviet. America had never dreamt of doing so well. I know, I know, Zmeskal won the worlds the prior year, but she had an "American" style that was neat, but not as artistic or desireable as Miller's. Yes, I think Gutsu was ultimately the best, but what a victory for Shannon.

5. Amy Chow: 1996 Olympic Trials, Optionals
I'll tell you what, she sure as hell eraned her trip right then and there. That was one of the nastiest falls I've ever seen. She had been suffering from back spasms that week and had limited training time. She completed her FULL routine with nothing taken out, to make the team. Damn, girl.


And on a side note, I'm also a figure skating fan.

1. 1998 Nagano Games: Michelle Kwan was so perfect but just missed, and Lu Chen only won the bronze but could not have been happier. Likewise, 2002 Salt Lake Games, Sarah Hughes, the underdog, came from no where with the skate of her life to win. Ahh, touching.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Body Type

My fellow gymnastics enthusiant Brian and myself have this theory that some gymnasts receive form deductions that are really for their body types. To be specific, a gymnast with a flat butt and straight or hyperextended legs is going to have a better handstand on bars than a gymnast with a "normal" build, and that's just wrong. But I'm not sure there's a way to prevent it. Case in point. Look here at Ma Yanhong's line:



I have to admit, even Nastia Liukin gets lucky here. She obviusly practices perfect form in that her legs are always together on her Geinger and toes always pointed, but it's also a big gift thrown her way that she has long, slender, straight legs and a flat butt. Compare her build to Andreea Raducan's, who has excellent form, but is so muscular that it can appear her legs are bent. Midway through the routine, Bart Conner even comments on this.


And then there's Kristen Maloney, who doesn't practice good form AND has an awkawrd body that just doesn't have a clean line at all. No offense to K., but she is one of my least favorite gymnasts to watch. Kind of make me cringe. Not light on her feet at all.

My version of smooth skills

Gymnast.com has been posting a series of what they call "smooth skills," which I think arose because we are seeing gymnasts now throw so many skills but the execution component is lacking, but this was not the case in the previous years. So, I wanted to make my own list, if you will, not just of gymnasts from the 1980s, but just some of my favorite gymnasts as far as execution and form over the past few decades.


Aurelia Dobre, 1987 Worlds, BB Event Finals:
I love the perfect 180 splits, the toe point, and the skills that are all done in connection.


Bi Wenjing, 1997 Worlds, UB Team Finals:
I remember this was the first time the world saw the Ono spin, and how Kathy Johnson marveled at it.



Ling Jie, 1998 BB International Team Championships:
Despite the break in her series, looks at the artistry. Looks how she delivers the choreography. Look at the height in the Onodi. And LOOK at the dive to handstand. I don't know that I've ever seen anyone hit that skill that way.




Mo Huiland, 1995 Worlds, BB Event Finals:
The Chinese choose very simple choreography without a lot of exessive movements but they deliver it so flawlessly. I adore her iconic mount, pressing her handstand down on one hand.


1989 Worlds, Yang Bo, BB Event Finals:
dismount aside, this kind of leaves your breathless. Her signature leap is stunning.


Oksana Omelianchik, 1985 European Championships, FX Event Finals:
The tumbling + the dance = there are no words

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Nastia moving on?

Nastia Liukin's Performance Quells Rumors of Quitting Tour of Gymnastic Superstars
Liukin Turns Out a Stellar Performance in San Jose Show


astia Liukin has certainly become a hot topic with numerous offers of lucrative endorsement deals and even talk of an appearance on the hot teen TV show 'Gossip Girl' that had the internet buzzing about whether she'd honor her obligation as one of the headliners of the 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars. Her name was dropped from some of the advertising which led some to believe she would be a no-show and that maybe the fame had gone to her head . . . or her wallet.

Nastia Liukin opened the show in San Jose on September 21, 2008 alongside fellow gold medalist Shawn Johnson and both women delivered their typically riveting performances, albeit in some pretty ridiculous looking outfits. I'm not sure anyone was prepared to see members of the US women's Olympic gymnastics team perform in neon colored outfits fashioned more for Mardi Gras than the uneven bars. Even in her hot pink bra top and tutu Liukin was regal on the uneven bars, then later a grace to behold on beam and finished with a uniquely elegant floor routine for which she is famous. Johnson rocked out a few numbers on floor, which reminded the audience just why this spunky little spitfire won the gold. Something tells me she's not done with the Olympics.

Liukin and Johnson aside, the other women did struggle. The rhythmic gymnasts failed to perform with any degree of synchronicity, which made their performances appear awkward and poorly rehearsed. The crowd became awestruck when they began tossing the large metal rings, but for all the wrong reasons. One missed catch after another, then another made you feel embarrassed just watching. For the ensemble cast of girls on the uneven bars, it was a hot mess. One girl fell and like dominos everyone started falling and suddenly no one could stick a landing. Maybe they hated their hideous outfits?



What does everyone think?

Monday, September 8, 2008

Nastia & Alicia attend fashion week

U.S. gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Alicia Sacramone, fresh off medal-winning performances at the Olympic games in Beijing, are making the rounds at New York Fashion Week.


Liukin was front row today at Peter Som and sat beside fellow sports babe Maria Sharapova (more on tennis babes Sharapova and Venus Williams at Fashion Week to come).

The two mugged for the paparazzi before the show, chatting until the lights went down, and then Nastia watched the models strut by -- giving most and up-and-down and keeping a placid smile on her face ... a far more sedate reaction than that of actress Elizabeth Banks, who sat on the gymnast's other side visibly oohing and ahhing.

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Saturday, September 6, 2008

A few scary vaults

These are a few of my favorite clips, ironically enough, of vaults that could have gone really really wrong.

Here is Elise Ray at the 2000 Olympics, before the horse was set to the correct height.

A few good vaults

Just taking a moment to relive some beautiful vaults over time.

Lilia Podkopayeva, 1996 Olympics, AA, Vault 2, Podkopayeva vault (Yurchenko half-on, piked front out)
This vault and since become a base for popular vaults now, that is, doing this vault in a layout position. What you have to love about Lilia is the strong bump off of the horse she gets, the clean execution with the legs together and toepoint and of course the stick.


Simona Amanar, 1996 Olympics, AA, Vault 2, Double twisting Yurchenko vault
I don't really think anyone comes as close as Amanar does as far as distance away from the horse. She really flies off and does it seemingly with ease.


Aurelia Dobre, 1987 World Championships, AA, Yurchenko full vault
OK we just don't see vaults like this anymore; the perfection of the position is unmatched. It makes me sad that we don't see anything like this anymore.


Kim Zmeskal, 1992 Nationals, Yurchenko full vault
Again, perfection. She is also aggressive and hardly has to work for the landing at all.


Kerri Strug, 1992 Olympic Trials, Yurcheko full vault
I honoestly think that she is about as good as Kim.

Do we ever see good Yurchenko 1.5's?

I don't think we see many nice one and a half Yurchenkos, and I'm not sure that they are easy to do well. I mean, duh, on the one hand, but on the other hand, I've seen more stuck double Yurchenkos than 1.5's. So here are a few that I think are terrific.
Also, I think you could argue that these are even better than Nastia's "perfect" vaults at the Olympics, to which Steve & Elfi flipped out over. To me, she almost look underrotated, and she doesn't ge the same "pop" off the horse as these do.

Dominique Moceanu, 1996 Olympics, AA, Vault 2


Kerri Strug, 1996 Olympic Trials, Vault 2

Friday, August 29, 2008

Some nostalgia

Some personal favorites: scenes of brilliance from 10 years ago

The emergence of Ling Jie, one of the best bar workers of all time.



Vanessa finally hitting bars, and this may have been the ONLY time in a major competition.


The completely unanticipated comeback of Dominique Moceanu.


Yelena Produnova, who revolutionized floor exercise with her front tumbling.


And last, but not least, smiling Adrienn Varga with her beautiful handsrping Rudi vault, picking up some medlas for Hungary.

More Late Show action

Shawn will be on Jay Leno tonight....yipee!

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And, Nastia graces the Wheaties box, which of course I'll be picking up.

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Also, check out Nastia's video of her photo shoot of the jeans she is endorsing:

http://www.vanillastarjeans.com/

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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Johnson supporting Obama? Let's hope it's true

Taken from: desmoinesregister.com

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America's transition from the Olympics to politics was oh, so smooth.

There's even overlap, curious as it is, with the news in Tuesday's Register that Iowa's gold-medal gymnast Shawn Johnson will be on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this week. Word is she will lead the crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Republicans already are making with the jokes about the delegates needing a kid to help them with the words.

Johnson's appearance hasn't been officially announced by the Democrats, but if it comes off it'll likely be Thursday night before Barack Obama's acceptance speech at Invesco Field in front of 70,000 people.

Why the 16-year-old is getting involved in a political event is anybody's guess, but she's already taking flak. Critics are screaming that she's a liberal - relax, it's allowed - and she proves it by wearing earrings with the peace symbol. She wore them during an NBC interview in Beijing and on the David Letterman show Monday night.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Things I miss seeing

The subtitle for this entry is: BRING BACK COMPULSORIES!



I really miss seeing and think there is a lack of emphasis on cumpulsories. They were the great equalizer to me. They broke everything down to a level playing field. Here is the same vault everyone; now, go do it and we'll evaluate you. I bet Nastia and Shawn would have been so exciting to watch in this capacity.




Now, poll: Whose vault is best: Simona, Dominique or Yelena's?

(I think Yelena)

In a previous life

I think I must have been a gymnast in a previous life. I swear, I THINK like a gymnst. I feel like I understand them. I feel like I understand how an uneven bars release move feels. How else could that be?

So, I think if I were a gymnast in a past life, I would have had the body type and form of Jaycie Phelps but the mentality of Kerri Strug. I am sure of it. Kerri was always so very serious and like she didn't have a clue about the real world (hello...me much?) , and had an extreme intensity. But I can imagine that I would have been super anal about toe point and dance like Jaycie.
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If you're a fellow nerd reading this, what gymnast would you have been?

Shawn Johnson Leaving the Late Show w Letterman

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The meanies on ohnothyeydidn't were saying she looks like a troll. OMFG get off it. She's f----ing awesome. And uh, I'd love to have legs like that. Shawn, you rock so much!

And, I'm such a nerd, I bought these "designer" Papyrus cards to mail to my favorite gymnasts for autograph requests. Yay!

I hope Nast doesn't turn into Paris Hilton

Nastia will be on Jay Leno tonight. Here is a pap. shot of her leaving dinner after taping. As if that wasn't enough, there is an accompanying video to boot.
Leaving Dinner

I also recorded Shawn Johnson on Letterman last night and am thinking of adding it to my youtube page.

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

How did I get so into gymnastics anyway?

It all started here.

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12 years ago...I was 14. I don't know how it happened but I started reading articles about athletes with eating disorders, something that really interested me. Then I started becoming interested in gymnastics. It was an Olympic year. I remember the trails coming on, which I taped. And then the Olympic games. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was speding the summer with family in Charlotte, N.C., and bought a copy of Dominique Moceanu's biography from Border's. A little later it was July and the Olympics were on. I was still away for the summer, and mailed my mom the tv schedule for her to tape it for me.

Once I had it on tape, that was it. I watched the women's team and all-around again and again and again, until I had memorized all the commentator's comments and the gymnasts' routines. I didn't know much about the sport, so I am self-taught. I learned what all the skills were by watching my tapes over and over again. The internet was becoming bigger and bigger at this time; I scoured the net in search of photos and articles, and then pasted them in my journal. I had everyone's medal record memorized.

I got the book Little Girls in Pretty Boxes. I was even more fascinated. Then I started buying more and more biographies of gymnasts, as many as I could find. I remember never being able to find International Gymnast magazine and then one time during a trip to Virginia Beach I was at Barnes & Noble and found it. My first copy. I inhaled it. Then I subscribed and have ever issue from 1996 to present.

The next competition to come on was the 1997 American Cup. It was the coming out party for Vanessa Atler. Then I became obbsessed with her. My mom says that I have always been like this; I get into something and I become fixated on it. I read Vanessa's online journal everyday and printed them all up. I waited in eager anticipation for the Nationals that year.

Tha Christmas, I got the video tape "Gymnastics Greatest Stars." I watched Mary Lou Retton at the 1984 games and literally cried. My bedroom as a teen was plastered with posters of gymnasts. The ceiling above my bed had 5 gymnastics posters on it: Alexei Nemov (my crush), Lavinia Milosovivi, Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu and Lilia Podkopayeva. Gymnastics was not only fascinating to me but gymnasts inspired me to work hard, stay in shape and achieve my goals. I always adhered to a strict diet and ran most everyday, always with gymnasts achieving perfection and working hard in the back of my mind.

Around this time, I discovered that you could purchase VHS tapes of competitions online. Fabulous, I thought; now I can catch up on all the competitions I have missed! I now own competitions that I have purchased from other from 1987 to 1995.

For me as a dorky teen, what was "cool" to do was to watch these competitions over and over, until I had everything memorized. To this day, when I am nervous or can't sleep, I picture certain gymnast's routines that I have memorized.

1998 was the mid-point to the 2000 Olympics. I remember we were on vacation and the Goodwill Games were on, which I taped. During the 1998 Nationals, Night 2, I baked an apple pie for my family. I cried with Vanessa as she made her bars routine on night 2. During the 1999 Nationals, I had just moved into my college dorm as a freshman. The 2000 Nationals were held in St. Louis, and ironically, a few months later I would be dating a guy from there. 2000 Olympics I had just moved in sophomore year with Becca. I think we ordered quesadillas and chicken tenders and watched together. 2001 and 2002 I watched while on summer vacation from college. 2003 I eagerly watched when I was on my own for the first time from college. 2004, I watched in the same house. 2005 I I had to tape because I went out to a fancy dinner at Frankie Rowland's Steakhouse, where we rented a Nissan Z3; that was Nastia's coming out party. I remember exactly what I was doing during every Nationals. In fact, I "date" things so to speak according to what gymnasts were on top that year. For example, whenever someone refers to 1995, I always think "Oh, Sabae, Japan, World Championships; Shannon Miller was on the edge and Dominique Mocean just starting."

I have watched, live, 4 Olympics now: 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. I have re-lived the 1992 games via VHS tape. And now with the invention of youtube, I have relived many more great moments, especially when bored at work. I have a book of winners, records and scores. I have over 70 VHS tapes. Dare I say it, I used to pretend the tiles in my paernts kitchen were a balance beam and I'd "do my routine." (OK I was a kid back then).

I can't think of anything else that I am so obsessed with. And it's not a fading interest. Many things have caught my interest for a while and then faded, but not gymnastics. It's not fleeting. It's fascinating to me and always will be.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Obsessed: Entry # 1

Welcome to my first entry of my gymnastics blog. Here I can go off on my favorite sport and have an outlet to express my opinions on all things gymnastic. Bliss!

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Tuesday, August 19, 2008
G USAJOHNSON Shawn7.00






16.225
S USALIUKIN Nastia6.60






16.025
B CHNFei CHENG6.80






15.950
4 RUSPAVLOVA Anna6.80






15.900
5 ROUDRAGOI Gabriela6.50






15.625
6 CHNShanshan LI7.00






15.300
7 RUSAFANASYEVA Ksenia5.80






14.825
8 JPNTSURUMI Koko6.30






14.450


Thoughts: Well, finally a gold for Shawn. I'll wait until I watch it tonight to say anymore, but I am so, SO glad that she got a gold.