You know what I miss?

Competitions where you really didn't know who would win. Where there was, you know, real competition. Maybe it's because I'm from capitalist America, and it's not that I don't like (well, love) Shawn & Nastia. But, c'mon. EVERYone knew that either one or the other would win last year at the Olympics. How much fun is that? And it was the same in 2004. Carly v. Svetlana. This is really not that cool.

This is due mostly to the fall of former Eastern-bloc nations, and the 2-per-country rule, which is also eliminating competition. So what if gold, silver and bronze medalists are from the same country? May the best nation win, I say.

Talk about, excitement, let's take a walk down memory lane. The first competition that I watched over and over again like a good chick flick was the 1996 Olympics, all-around. There were SO MANY performances shown and so many athletes who potentially could have won that it was extremely exciting. Thirty-six gymnasts competed. What a competition. And one by one they fell and we saw the best win.

Let's reminisce: Shannon Miller, 3rd rotation: she gives it away with a botched floor exercise. Dominique Dawes, in the same rotation, same event, has a fall. They were leading, Daw3ees in first and Miller in second up to that point. Khorkina was up there until she fell on a transition from low to high on uneven bars. (shocking!).



Dina Kochetkova was leading up until her last event and botched both of her Yurchenko one-and-a-halfs.


Dominique Moceanu blew it in the first rotation with a sizable wobble on beam, followed by a step out of bounds on floor and then piking down on her full-in double layout off bars.

Mo Huilan was nicely set up to medal but had a large step out of bounds on her final rotation floor routine.

Any number of gymnasts could have medaled in the 1996 Olympics. Realistically, Shannon Miller & Dominique Dawes, although they were not favorites to win, could have medaled. Dominique Moceanu could have done very well. I do think that she was a bit over-hyped, but if you look at her team options scores, they were all 9.8+ with the exception of vault, which had the potential of getting a 9.80 at least. Any of the Romanians could have medaled (and did). So that adds Amanr, Gogean and Milo to the pile. Mo Huilan was certainly up there, and could have medaled with just an average floor exercise. A lot of insiders favored Podkopayeva, with good reason. And any of the three Russian, but especially Kochetkova and Khorkina, could have been there. Kochetkova was third in 1994 and current world champion on beam; Khorkina was second in 1995. So, all in all, at least 11 people could have been considered for the top three spots.

Similarly, in 2000, the field was wide (haha unless you were an American). Karpenko was second at the 1999 Worlds and would have medaled had it not been for the silly "tripping" incident on floor in the last rotation. Just like Karpenko, Zamo had a similar fate on one of her best event, floor exercise. NO ONE saw this coming. Zamo was third at the worlds in 1999. Khorkina was certainly in the mix, having won the 1997 Worlds and was one of the "leaders" in the bizarre '97 - '99 Quad. But she made an error similar to 1996 on uneven bars, and then the dang vaulting issue screwed her over as well.

The fateful "trip"


Zamo's most uncharacteristic fall: (it kind of brings tears to your eyes)


In the 2000 Games, Karpenko, Zamo and Khorkina could have all challenged. And of course, the reliable Romanians all challenged (and all medaled): Raducan, Olaru, Amanar. (disclaimer: I am a die-hard who still counts Raducan as the winner). I suppose Elise Ray was America's best hope, and might have medaled with some luck from her part and errors from others. And let's not forget the terrific Lobazniuk, a bit of a personal favorite for me, who had no weak event (double twisting Yurchenko AND Tsukahara on vault, nice on beam, cute girl, great body for the sport, love her). But, on her first event, floor exercise, she took some extra steps on her double layout. Basically, at least 7 girls were challenging for the top.


Now let's travel WAY back down memory lane to the year of big bangs and the Dream Team: 1992. The field was wide open in 1992. Obviously Zmeskal was the 1991 World Champion, but she also technically won the "all-around" at the 1992 Worlds; she just had a royally bad meet at the Barcelona Olympics. Bogi was second in 1991 and a favorite again in 1992. Milo and Bontas looked like the best bets for Romania, with tumbling passes like a whip through to a full-in to a punch front and a full-in double layout. Miller was certainly on everyone's mind with super stellar compulsories and optionals. It was hard not to overlook bird-like Gutsu and her unthinkable-easy-looking 3-flip-flops to a perfect full-in off beam. WHO can do this, even now, with such EASE?

And of course, Okino, although not a favorite, was up there in the top 10. And Gogean was an up-and-comer. Lyssenko as well, who would go on to win beam, could have won if it hadn't been for a botched floor exercise. And, duh. One of my most favorite girls of all time, with tumbling that would rival years later, Onodi.


So, in 1992, we had 10 girls who could have challenged.

I'm not sure how much taped coverage I have of the 2000 Games, but in 1996 I have AT LEAST 2 hours of coverage, and same with 1992, including all of the lovely, wonderful "fluff" pieces that hardcore fans/saps like me adore. all in all, hours of coverage, almost a dozen top girls each year meant you didn't know who was going to win = DRAMA. LOVE IT.

NOWADAYS, with 2 per country and uh, the fall of other countries, to put it in not so many words, it sucks.

2004: With the 2 per country rule, we have eliminated some people right there. I would have liked to have seen McCool challenge (she botched up prelims but give the gal another shot!). Ban I believe was out with injury but she was stellar and could have done some damage. I remember at the beginning, upon learning that Ban was out, that all Patterson had to do was hit and she'd win. Pavlova and Zhang Nan and Safronie were decent but everyone knew it was Khorkina or Patterson.

2008: DUH. Months ahead of time we knew it was Shawn v. Nastia, with a slight favor toward Shawn. Yeah, I suppose we knew the Chinese would put forth someone decent, and same with Nistor and Isbaza, but everyone knew it was Shawn v. Nastia. I would have really enjoyed seeing 3 per country, because even though I'm sure the gold and silver results would have been the same, why not at least give some others a SHOT? The way figure it, these girls give their entire lives to their sport. They are good enough to make it to the Olympics, so give them all the opportunities to compete that are possible. Same with teh 2-per-country on event finals. This is BS! You know, I really would not care if all the medalists on a particular event were from the same nation; may the best win.

Sigh.... so now, as we approach the 2009 Worlds, we have a pretty small number of contenders to win, and I think it's sad. After all, it's a COMPETITION.

Phew, ok that was a novel.