The Olympic Effect

NCAA Regional Fields Announced

2008-04-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

NCAA Regionals will be held at the following locations on Saturday, April 12th.

West at Oregon State
1. Michigan
2. Oregon State
3. Michigan State
4. Washington
5. San Jose State
6. Sacramento State

North Central Region at Minnesota
1. Utah
2. Arkansas
3. Arizona
4. Iowa
5. Southern Utah
6. Minnesota

South Central Region at Oklahoma
1. Alabama
2. Oklahoma
3. Boise State
4. Arizona State
5. Illinois
6. Southeast Missouri State

Central Region at LSU
1. Stanford
2. LSU
3. Missouri
4. Kentucky
5. Kent State
6. Ohio State

Northeast Region at PSU
1. Georgia
2. Auburn
3. Denver
4. Penn State
5. Brigham Young
6. Iowa State

Southeast Region at Florida
1. Florida
2. UCLA
3. Nebraska
4. North Carolina State
5. West Virginia
6. North Carolina

The Domination Continues

2008-03-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

Ladies FS Videos (And a Few Original Dances)

2008-03-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

Yu-Na Kim

Mao Asada

Carolina Kostner

Ashley Wagner

Joannie Rochette

Kimmie Meissner

Bebe Liang

Delobel and Schoenfelder

Virtue and Moir

Belbin and Agosto

Gender Limits Kenyon Smith

2008-03-20T14:07:00.001-07:00

2008 World Figure Skate Championships TV Schedule

2008-03-19T20:12:00.001-07:00

World Figure Skating Championships
Thursday, March 20th 7:30pm-11:00pm (EST) ESPN
(Pairs Short+Long, Ice Dance Original Dance)

Friday, March 21st 7:30pm-11:00pm (EST) ESPN
(Ladies Short, Ice Dance Free Dance)

Saturday, March 22nd 3:00pm-6:00pm (EST) ABC
(Ladies Long, Mens Short)

Saturday, March 22nd 6:30pm-8:00pm (EST) ESPN2
(Ladies Short, Ice Dance Free Dance)
This broadcast may be delayed if the preceding basketball game runs overtime.

Sunday, March 23rd 4:30pm-7:00pm (EST) ESPN
(Mens Long)
This broadcast may be delayed if the preceding basketball game runs overtime.

Figure Skating Articles

2008-03-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day: “There are some things I keep sacred,” Weir said. “My middle name. Who I sleep with. And what kind of hand moisturizer I use.”

Figure Skating Rivalry Pits Athleticism Against Artistry

Meissner's confidence jumps

New team competition eyed for next year

Ladies SP Videos

2008-03-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

Mao Asada

Kimmie Meissner

Yu-Na Kim

Joannie Rochette

Carolina Kostner

Bebe Liang

Ashley Wagner

Yukari Nakano

Elene Gendevanishvilli

2008 World Figure Skating Championships Results

Kristi Yamaguchi on Dancing With The Stars

2008-03-18T22:35:00.001-07:00

Week 1

ET Photo Shoot

Is the gold gone?

2008-03-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

Belbin and Agosto

Delobel and Schoenfelder

2008 World Figure Skating Championships Results

Video of the Moment

2008-03-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

Figure Skating Articles

2008-03-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

Belbin and Agosto off to slow start at Worlds

What a trip! Meissner, dance team find rough trip en route to first worlds

Rochette hopes to break women's singles drought

Kim's long road to Sweden

Pairs set to kick things off in Sweden

Gym Dog Videos

2008-03-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

UGA vs. NC State

Abby Stack Interviews Grace Taylor

Suzanne's Fashion Emergency

Katie Heenan and Abby Stack dance Before UGA vs. UCLA

Ladies Practice Videos

2008-03-17T19:05:00.000-07:00

Fuji TV Video of the first official practice session. (Featuring Mao, Yu-Na, and Miki)

Yu-Na Kim practicing her free skate.

Link to Mao Asada's SP practice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMhCY3z_p8

2008 Worlds Practive Videos

2008-03-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

Daisuke Takahashi practicing his free skate.

Daisuke Takahashi practicing spins.

Johnny Weir practicing his short program.

Johnny Weir practicing his free skate.

Patrick Chan practicing his short program.

This and That

2008-03-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

1. Miki Ando has decided against trying a Quad Salchow at the World Championships. Morozov had said all season that she would do it, but the reigning champion thinks it is more important to focus on her triple-triple combinations. Ando admitted having consistency issues with them last week, but says she is now back up to speed. Morozov and Ando have also decided to switch back to her "Scherezade" short program because she expresses it better than "Samson and Delilah." Teammate Yukari Nakano has been seen practicing a Triple Loop-Triple Loop combination and says she will include the combination in her free skate.

2. John McEnroe has decided against being the head coach of the US Olympic Tennis Team. Rodney Harmon will serve as head coach, pending USOC approval.

3. Olympic equestrian Darren Chiacchia is unconscious and in critical condition with a severe head injury after falling from his horse during a weekend competition. Doctors have ruled out a spinal injury for the 42-year-old who suffered rib fractures and injuries to both lungs. Chiacchia is now breathing on his own after being taken off of a ventilator.

4. The LA Times ran a feature on BeBe Liang, who says she is skating the best she has in three years.
Bebe Liang hopes to pull it together

5. The new NCAA rankings have been released:

1. Georgia 197.305
2. Florida 197.090
3. Utah 197.065
4. Michigan 196.825
5. LSU 196.695
6. Alabama 196.605
7. Oregon State 196.530
8. UCLA 196.465
9. Oklahoma 196.440
10. Stanford 196.360
11. Arkansas 196.100
12. Auburn 195.905

Patrick Chan Phone Interview with CBC

2008-03-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Slightly awkward...

Kristi Yamaguchi Art of the Athlete

2008-03-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

This is a 2005 documentary from Fit TV. It is probably the best documentary that I've seen on a skater in a while.

The links are on google video because the files are too long for youtube.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Figure Skating Articles

2008-03-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Ballroom Skater

Golden on the ice, a novice off

Celebrity Coaches at Worlds

Sasha Cohen troubled by ultra youth movement in women's figure skating

Japan skaters hope for double gold at figure skating worlds

Video of the Moment

2008-03-17T00:18:00.001-07:00

Friendship Class Results

2008-03-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

From www.friendshipclassic.org:

SENIOR All Around
1. Dasha Joura (Australia)-58.30
2. Lauren Mitchell (Australia)-58.05
3. Laurie-Eve Pepin-Gagne (Canada)- 52.85
4. Cytnhia Lemieux (Canada)- 52.30
5. Anna Katashynk (Ukraine)- 52.30
6. Loes Linders (Netherlands)-50.50

Vault

1. Joura- 13.75
2. Kalashynk- 13.65
3. Mitchell- 13.50

Uneven Bars
1. Joura- 15.15
2. Kristina Vaculik (Canada)- 15.05
3. Mitchell- 13.50

Balance Beam

1. Mitchell-15.60
2. Joura- 14.85
3. Vaculik- 14.80

Floor Exercise

1. Mitchell- 15.25
2. Joura- 14.55
3. Kalashynk- 13.60

JUNIOR All Around:
1. Madeline Hanley (USA/Parkettes)- 55.15
2. Sabrina Vega (USA/Dynamic)- 54.20
3. Alona Kaydalova (Ukraine)- 52.30
4. Morgan Steigerwalt (US A/Parkettes)- 50.70
5. Meike Fernbach (Germany)- 50.25
6. Bianca Darcose-Giambatisto (Canada/ Gym- Rich)- 49.75

Vault

1. Steigerwalt- 13.50
2. Vega- 13.45
3. Hanley-13.30

Uneven Bars

1. Hanley- 13.50
2. Vega- 13.35
3. Darcose-Giambatisto- 12.70

Balance Beam

1. Vega- 14.85
2. Hanley- 14.40
3. Kaydolova- 13.95

Floor Exercise

1. Hanley- 13.95
2. Steigerwalt- 13.50
3. Kaydalova- 13.40

Diving Update (Incl. Must Read Articles)

2008-03-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

The 2008 FINA World Cup recently took place at the Water Cube in Beijing, also serving as the Olympic Test Event. As expected, China dominated, winning seven gold and four silver medals. China recorded the same medal tally at last year's World Championships. (The best finish China could possibly record would be eight gold and four silver)
What's the hiccup? Zhou Luxin, 19, finished second in men's platform at both the World Cup and the World Championships.
Russia's Gleb Galperin won the World Championships but sat out the World Cup due to injury. In his absence, Germany's Sascha Klein shocked many by upsetting Zhou for gold.
On the American front, the divers secured a maximum 12 Olympic spots by their performance, which included two bronze medal finishes. David Boudia won bronze in men's platform, while Ariel Rittenhouse and Kelci Bryant recorded the same result in the women's 3-meter synchro.
Former Olympic Champion Laura Wilkinson delivered the weakest performance by an American, finishing 12th out of 12 competitors in the women's platform finals. If history repeats itself, Wilkinson has nothing to worry about. Wilkinson finished 12th at the 2000 World Cup before winning Olympic Gold months later.
Texas' Harrison Jones may have finished 10th in men's platform, but he made history by being the first man to perform an inward 4 1/2 in international competition. Jones is also the first man to perform a diver with a degree of difficulty greater than 4.0. (The inward 4 1/2 has a DD of 4.1)
Guo Jinging garnered headlines in China after the competition, but it wasn't for being upset by teammate (and synchro partner) Wu Minxia in the women's 3-meter springboard competition. Guo was widely criticized for "snubbing" the press and demonstrating "divalike behavior." Guo also attracted attention for referring to her "fat Canadian competitor," but publicists are claiming that isn't necessarily an insult in Chinese culture.

Required Reading:
Guo's Divalike Behavior

Decide for yourself if "fat" was meant to be insulting.

Kristi Yamaguchi on Oprah with Dancing With The Stars

2008-03-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

Dancing With The Stars begins tomorrow at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Video of the Moment

2008-03-16T10:41:00.001-07:00

Figure Skating Articles

2008-03-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

The Quad Turns 20. (Very good article by Beverly Smith)

North American Skaters Increasing Interest in Figure Skating

Golden Skate's 2008 World Championships Preview

How Far Can Patrick Chan Go?

NCAA Update

2008-03-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

Courtney McCool scored her first-ever 10.000 on floor exercise last night. The above video is from earlier this season. McCool's first tumbling run is a 2 1/2 twist+front layout full and she closes with a front double full.

Georgia defeated UCLA 197.900-196.875

Grace Taylor almost reached perfection as well with her 9.975 on balance beam. Taylor was fourth on beam at NCAAs last season and a front-runner to win the title in April.

Katie Heenan tied her all-around career high (39.725).

UCLA appears to be improving steadily. There were glimpses of the old UCLA again. Tasha Schwikert, Anna Li, Kristina Comforte, Ashley Jenkins and Shavahn Church perform as well as any Bruins of years past. The loss of McCullough is costing the team a few tenths. Jordan Schwikert suffered a rare mistake on uneven bars (over on a handstand), but was solid on her other events.

Florida demonstrated a strong performance on Friday. The battle for the SEC Championship will be a tight battle between Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Intensity at the conference championships will serve these teams well as they prepare for NCAAs. Win or lose, these teams will be motivated by the outcome. UCLA and Stanford are also set for a showdown at the Pac 10 Championship.

Utah is at a disadvantage by not having a conference championship, but they have won without one in the past. The team did not appear quite as sharp on Friday. Ashley Postell has suffered several mistakes since becoming the odds-on favorite to win the NCAA All-Around title. Postell faces an uphill battle if she is to win in Stegmen Colosseum.

The post season begins on March 29th.

Possible Meet Delay

2008-03-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

There are tornado warnings in and around Athens, GA. The UCLA team is currently in the basement of their hotel. No word on whether or not the start time of the meet will be affected.

Notes on UCLA lineup:

Shavahn Church will be in on uneven bars, Niki Tom and Kristina Comforte will compete on balance beam (Marci Bernholtz will sit out), and Ashley Jenkins and Melissa Chan will compete on Floor Exercise.

Under The Lights

2008-03-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

Parts 1,2 and 3 and up on youtube. The user is in the process of uploading the others.

Video of the Moment

2008-03-15T10:19:00.001-07:00

Georgia v. UCLA Tidbits

2008-03-15T09:30:00.001-07:00

Abby Stack will be competing on the uneven bars and floor exercise tonight. Stack earned the spot in the lineup over Newby due to her ability to stick dismounts.

Megan Dowlen has been training on vault, but is limited by the number of repetitions she's able to do per day. She is expected to vault in the post season and is still progressing on schedule. Dowlen will compete on balance beam today because Childs wobbled on her front aerial in practice. Childs is typically motivated by missing an opportunity to compete against a top opponent and is expected to be solid in the post season.

Hilary Mauro has only been vaulting for two weeks, but has earned her second consecutive spot in the vault lineup after only minimal practice. Mauro will be vaulting a Yurchenko Full, but may upgrade to a 1 1/2 for the post season if she can clean up her form on the vault.

Cassidy McComb was unable to practice balance beam due to her eye infection. McComb looked strong on vault and floor during yesterday's intrasquad.

Marcia Newby stuck her Hristakeava during the intrasquad.

Tiffany Tolnay and Katie Heenan delivered strong performances during the intrasquad and have been consistently practicing well. Both are expected to compete in the all-around.

Grace Taylor has been on fire in practice. Taylor earned a 9.95 on the uneven bars, 9.925 on balance beam and a 9.9 on floor exercise during the intrasquad. Taylor and McCool led the team to a 49.500 on beam yesterday.

Tonight's meet had been expected to be held on a podium, but it will be held on the regular competition floor in order to accommodate season ticket holders who had previously purchased the ground-level seating for the meet.

Kristina Comforte has resumed training on the balance beam. Comforte is hoping to be back in the all-around for the post season. Mizuki Sato, Melissa Chan and Niki Tom will all compete this evening. Marci Bernholtz has been looking solid on beam since fixing a technical issue on her series. The Schwikert sisters have continued to improve and are both expected to deliver solid performances. Anna Li has resumed training on all events. Numerous tests have not found any damage to her foot.

Tonight's meet begins at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on GXTRA. Highlights of UCLA's performances will be posted on uclabruins.com by Monday or Tuesday.

Figure Skating TV Schedule

2008-03-14T20:48:00.000-07:00

Kristi Yamaguchi on Dancing With The Stars
Monday, March 17th 8:00pm-9:30pm (EST) ABC
Tuesday, March 18th 9:00pm-10:30pm (EST) ABC

Repeat of Michelle Kwan Biography
Thursday, March 20th 7:00am-8:00am (EST) Biography Channel

World Figure Skating Championships
Thursday, March 20th 7:30pm-11:00pm (EST) ESPN
(Pairs Short+Long, Ice Dance Original Dance)

Friday, March 21st 7:30pm-11:00pm (EST) ESPN
(Ladies Short, Ice Dance Free Dance)

Saturday, March 22nd 3:00pm-6:00pm (EST) ABC
(Ladies Long, Mens Short)

Saturday, March 22nd 6:30pm-8:00pm (EST) ESPN2
(Ladies Short, Ice Dance Free Dance)
This broadcast may be delayed if the preceding basketball game runs overtime.

Sunday, March 23rd 4:30pm-7:00pm (EST) ESPN
(Mens Long)
This broadcast may be delayed if the preceding basketball game runs overtime.

Video of the Moment

2008-03-14T18:52:00.001-07:00

Random Judging

2008-03-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

How is the NCAA judging random when Linda Morton, the meet assigner for Michigan, assigned three pro-Michigan judges to last weekend's meet AND a Minnesota judge who is Bev Plocki's best friend (who only moved to Minnesota three years ago)? The scores were extremely questionable. Handstand misses went unaccounted for, as did composition deductions on floor. At NCAAs, a floor routine with a *less than refined* full in mount and a whip half+front full (with bent legs) will not be receiving a 9.90 or 9.95.

This is similar to judging at the University of Florida where Florida judges are continually assigned to boost the scores and reputation of the team. Florida has not scored nearly as high on the road as they have at home. This will make things interesting when Utah competes in Florida tonight.

In the end, it is a disservice to these teams to receive the scores they do at home. How is a team supposed to focus on cleaning up weaknesses and making effective lineup decisions if the scoring doesn't point them out? How many times have teams entered NCAAs with high rankings, only to receive rude awakenings during prelims?

It is a big shame that Trish Wilson has torn her ACL. Wilson displayed Michigan's cleanest execution and best handstands throughout the season. It is a shame that the rest of her team is not in the same peak condition physically or gymnastically.

This year's battle to reach the Super Six should be stiffer than ever. Details such as handstands, form, composition deductions and bent arms WILL be taken into account.
With parity continually increasing among the top 20 schools, execution is paramount for winning in the post season.

Video of the Moment

2008-03-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

Trivia: The Americans celebrated Yim's birthday by dividing a slice of pie into seven pieces. (Not a joke)

This and That

2008-03-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

1. Michelle Kwan will spend her spring break in Argentina, where she will visit Sante Fe, Buenos Aires and Parana on her third public diplomacy envoy for the State Department. Kwan promotes a cross-cultural understanding of America by engaging in a dialogue with international youth about her life experiences.

2. Jeremy Abbott will leave for the World Figure Skating Championships on Saturday. Abbott is planning on attempting a Quad Toe in both the short and long programs because he believes the jump is necessary to become a champion.

3. Evan Lysacek suffered minor injuries when his skate blade broke on the landing of a Triple Axel. This is the third time in recent weeks that Lysacek's blade has broken. The skater has been advised not to jump for two weeks. He vows to solve his equipment problems and return even stronger next season.

4. The University of Georgia will hold this weekend's dual meet with UCLA on a podium. Both NCAA heavyweights will be testing new lineups after losing key team members to achilles tendon injuries. Combined, Georgia and UCLA have won 10 of the last 11 NCAA Championships. The meet may also feature a preview of the NCAA All Around battle as Tasha Schwikert, Anna Li, Tiffany Tolnay and Katie Heenan are expected to contend for the title in April. Gym Dog Cassidy McComb missed practice on Wednesday due to an eye infection, but the tenacious freshman is expected to compete Saturday.

6. Penn State senior Lindsay Borkan refuses to miss out on the end of her senior season. The Nittany Lion sprained every tendon in her left ankle on Tuesday and was using crutches on Wednesday morning, but vowed to compete on the balance beam on Saturday. Borkan has faced a never-ending battle with injuries for the last three seasons. Ironically, Borkan was rarely injured before tearing her achilles tendon during the second half of the 2005 season. Borkan was Penn State's All-Around star during the pre season and the first two-thirds of the 2005 season. If she does sit out this weekend, one should expect to see Borkan competing in Rec Hall next Friday (senior night). Before tearing her achilles, Borkan was known for throwing some of the most innovative routines in collegiate gymnastics. Borkan's skills included Lohman (a Barani transition from low to high) on Uneven Bars, a Barani, Round Off+Layout, and Straddle Jump+Tuck Jump 5/4 on Balance Beam, and a Whip+Double Layout on Floor Exercise.

7. Andy Roddick has announced that he will forgo competing at the 2008 Olympics in order to prepare for the US Open. Roddick is the 2003 U.S. Open champion and the 2006 U.S. Open runner-up.

Evan Lysacek Out of Worlds

2008-03-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

Evan Lysacek has withdrawn from next week's World Figure Skating Championships. This is especially disappointing for Evan and the USFSA after his solid season. The United States stood an outside chance at landing two men on the podium for the first time since 1996.

The US men should still qualify three men for next year, as Carriere has delivered strong finishes at every international competition he's entered this season (3rd at Skate America, 4th at Cup of China, 4th at Four Continents).

Jeremy Abbott will replace Lysacek.

More details to come.

Video of the Moment

2008-03-12T20:03:00.001-07:00

Bill May and Anna Kozlova's synchronized swimming duet to "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better." It is such a shame that FINA never allowed Bill to compete in major international competitions.

Interesting Interview With Sasha Cohen

2008-03-12T15:20:00.001-07:00

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080312/SPORTS17/803120394

Oksana Domnina and Maksim Shabalin Out of Worlds

2008-03-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

Domnina and Shabalin announced that they will not be competing at the upcoming World Figure Skating Championships because Maksim re-injured his knee. He was ordered off the ice for six weeks after his knee operation in December, but returned after three weeks in order to prepare for the European Championships. A three-week rest after Europeans was not enough time for the knee to recover.

This presents an enormous opportunity for Belbin and Agosto, as they hope to become the first Americans to win the World Championships in the ice dancing event.

Why The Americans Need Bar Workers

2008-03-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

He Kexin 2008 Doha World Cup Event Finals

Jiang Yuyuan 2008 Doha World Cup Event Finals

I See Energizer Commercials In Her Future

2008-03-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Shawn Johnson keeps going and going and going. Hopefully we'll see her new floor routine at next month's Pacific Alliance Championships.

This and That

2008-03-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

1. Competitors for the 2008 Japan Open have been announced. The event will be a team competition (Japan, North America and Europe) and more skaters may still be added. The event will be held on April 20 at 1 p.m. and the gala will be held at 6 p.m.

Skaters currently scheduled to appear are:
Takeshi Honda
Shizuka Arakawa
Daisuke Takahashi
Miki Ando
Mai Asada
Mao Asada
Todd Eldredge
Alexei Yagudin
Evan Lysacek
Sarah Meier
Mirai Nagasu

2. Tatiana Tarasova will be inducted to the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame during this month's World Championships. Robin Cousins, Ulrich Salchow and Gillis Grafström were previously elected to the Hall of Fame and will also be formally inducted.

3. Derrick Delmore announced his retirement from singles skating, but the former World Junior Champion is still open to competing as a pairs skater.

4. Roger Federer defeated Pete Sampras last night at Madison Square Garden. Sampras is the only player to win more majors than Federer. Winning an Olympic Gold Medal in Beijing is among one of Federer's major career goals, but he has also mentioned a desire to win in 2012 on the lawn at Wimbledon.

5. On a sad note, freshman Trish Wilson tore her knee at Friday's meet vs. The University of Georgia. The University of Michigan freshman vows to be back next season. UCLA's Brittani McCullough ruptured her achilles tendon and will also be back for the rest of the season.

Vote For The US Olympic Hall of Fame

2008-03-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

Voting is currently underway for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame at www.usolympichalloffame.com

Notable nominees include:

Amy Van Dyken
Brian Boitano
David Robinson
Oscar De La Hoya

and for teams:
1992 Men's Basketball
1996 Women's Gymnastics
1996 Synchronized Swimming

It is a bit unfair to only induct one of the teams into the fall of fame, given the strength of competition in the category vs. the noticeably weaker competition in the individuals category. Hopefully they'll do the right thing and induct more than one team.

Complete Italy Results

2008-03-10T10:20:00.000-07:00

http://www.federginnastica.it/immagini/archivio/articoli/foto_articolo_3295.pdf

Shawn Johnson has cemented her place as the favorite for Olympic All-Around Gold, but the rest of the Americans failed to deliver spectacular performances. Peszek's consistency and improvement on bars is notable, but she failed to repeat her spectacular beam performance.

Bridget Sloan didn't compete after injuring herself in warm-ups. There is no word about the severity of the injury, but it is a shame for her to lose out on a chance to gain international experience and impress Martha Karolyi.

With Worley's injury and mistake-ridden performances at the American Cup, Bieger being beaten on the Uneven Bars by Shawn Johnson and Memmel's mention of shoulder problems on her blog, this opens the door even further for Ashley Preiss.

The USA needs to fill a hole on the Uneven Bars in order to be able to compete with the Chinese women and their home court advantage.

On a positive note, things are looking good for 2009 and beyond. Jordan Wieber, Chelsea Davis, Sam Shapiro, Mattie Larson and Rebecca Bross are getting stronger and stronger. The USA shouldn't suffer the same drop off experienced after the 1996 Olympic win.

How Dreamy Is Kurt Browning?

2008-03-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

Kurt has now found a home for orphaned puppies...
http://www.680news.com/news/local/article.jsp?content=20080309_113519_632

It is hard to believe that it was 20 years ago that he became the first man to land a quad (Sorry Evan, not you.)

He could still land it 10 years later.

You know a skater is talented when they don't need jumps to be spectacular.

Results From Italy-Poland-Spain-U.S.A. Quad Meet

2008-03-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

Senior Team
1. USA 179.05
2. Italy 177.95
3. Spain 151.05
4. Poland 150.10

Senior All-Around
1. Shawn Johnson USA 61.700 (15.200 VT (DTY), 16.200 BB, 15.000 FX)
2. Vanessa Ferrari ITA 60.100 (Only vaulted an FTY, 15.450 UB, 15.800 BB)
3. Samantha Peszek USA 59.050 (Fell on BB)
4. Lia Parolari ITA 58.300
5. Carlotta Giovannini ITA 58.250
6. Chelsea Davis USA 57.700
7. Lenika De Simone ESP 57.150
8. Francesca Benolli ITA 56.450
9. Olivia Courtney USA 56.000
10. Monica Bergamelli ITA 55.500
11. Naomi Ruiz ESP 55.400
12. Sara Bradaschia ITA 54.400
13. Joanna Litewka 50.700
14. Gabriela Janik POL 50.350
15. Marta Pihan POL 49.650

Junior Team
1. USA 181.050
2. Italy 172.100
3. Romania 166.000
4. Spain 158.400

Junior All-Around
1. Jordyn Wieber USA 60.900
2. Rebecca Bross USA 60.500
3. Paola Galante ITA 58.300
4. Rebecca Clark USA 57.350
5t. Samantha Shapiro USA 57.000
5t. Elisabetta Preziosa ITA 57.000
7. Andrea La Spada ITA 56.650
8. Ana Porgras ROM 55.850
9. Morgan Smith USA 55.800
10. Serena Licchetta ITA 55.050
11. Amelia Racea ROM 54.950
12. Eleonora Rando ITA 54.550
13. Ana M. Izurieta ESP 54.150
14. Diana Chelaru ROM 53.500
15. Loredana Sabau ROM 53.250
16. Valentina Scarpin ITA 51.950
17. Vanessa Sanchez ESP 51.650
18. Anna Serra ESP 51.500
19. Cintia Rodriguez ESP 50.400
20. Claudia Vila ESP 47.750

Notes From USFSA Teleconferences With The USOC

2008-03-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

Tanith Belbin

Missed Four Continents so that she could have time to recover from a knee injury (Torn LCL—Right Knee) she sustained before U.S. Nationals. With South Korea so far away, thought it would be best to stay home and prepare. Feel the most prepared they’ve ever felt going into a World Championships and feel they have an excellent shot at winning gold.

Had been training both the Austrian Waltz and the Argentine Tango before the Argentine Tango was drawn at Junior Worlds. Are aware that the compulsory dance hasn’t been their strength in the past, but they’ve spent considerable time training the compulsory dance and feel like it can be a strength at Worlds. They don’t want to be playing catch-up after the compulsory dance any more.

Really trained as hard as they could through the summer, they’re more focused, have better programs and are finally comfortable with the new system.

Thinks the Russians and French are very strong teams.

Haven’t changed any elements in the programs, but have changed the composition of the beginning of the Original Dance.

Thinks U.S. Ice Dancing has had this growth coming for a long time. Thinks the Olympics will put U.S. Ice Dancers on the map. Thinks they’ve needed their competitors to push them and have found it very motivating to have Nationals feel like a highly competitive event.

Plans to join the final 12 stops of Stars On Ice and may join up with Canadian Stars On Ice. May go abroad to Japan to do a few shows. They have also seen the benefits of training in the summer and are planning on being home more, while still attempting to earn a living. They’ll be back on the ice with Igor by the second week of April. They’re excited to be home more, take their skating to the next level, and perform in domestic shows on the weekends.

Thinks Samuelson and Bates have a talent for lifts, creative choreography and innovative movements.

Evan Lysacek

Thought it was important to go to Four Continents.

Working with three new trainers and a dietician. Had trained the same way for five years.

Feeling stronger, refreshed and thinks he’s skating better than he has in a long time.

Not ultra concerned with results this year. Thinks “the quad” is the brand in the sport right now since the sport doesn’t have a 6.0 right now.

Thinks the value of the quad should be analyzed and given more credit. Says he thinks they’re looking at the value of the quad and upgrading it or adding a bonus.

Was eating low carb before. Didn’t have enough time to have a full meal before. Is now eating ¾ vegetables and 1/4 meat at every meal. Drinking whole meal shakes and Excelerade.

Body fat percentage was below 4.0% before. Has always weighed around 170 lbs.

Joining the cast of Stars On Ice after worlds. Will be competing at the Japan Open on April 20th. Booked through the end of May. (SOI is obvious as Evan is represented by IMG)

Says that Daisuke Takahasi is the favorite politically.

Has taken out a Double Axel and added a Triple Flip as his last jump. One of his Triple-Triple combinations will now be a Triple-Double, but it should give him two extra points. Lori Nichol changed a part of his music in the beginning of the Free Skate.

Hasn’t thought about music for next season yet. Leaves music up to Lori Nichol and Frank Carroll.

Kimmie Meissner

Really trying to getting her confidence level back up and feeling consistent with her jumps and programs. Knows she can do better.

Knew she needed a change and Mr. Callaghan offered to help her. Spent a week or two by herself after Nationals and then moved down to Florida. (Kimmie and Mr. Callaghan are both represented by Yuki Saegusa of IMG, so it made sense that they got in touch so quickly.)

Helps her to relax and be positive, yet serious. Has worked on everything with Mr. Callaghan. They’ve worked on correcting the edge of her Triple Flip and having a higher 2nd triple in her Triple-Triple combinations in order to avoid under-rotating the jumps.

Mr. Callaghan doesn’t have to train Kimmie because she trains herself and is a very disciplined skater.

Lost confidence after winning the 2006 World Championships because she felt that she had to be perfect every time.

Mr. Callaghan thinks more advanced notice should be given to every rule change.

Johnny Weir

Eyes Daisuke Takahashi as the favorite. Also named Voronov, Verner, and Joubert as strong competitors.

Wants to do a clean short with maximum levels and high component scores. Only attempting a Quad Toe in the long program. Has been training the Triple Lutz+Double Toe+Double Loop combo in his long program. Wants to do quads in both programs next year.

Is considering using a classic dance or waltz where he can perform both the female and male roles. Would love to work with Mikhail Baryshnikov and see what he can bring to the ice.

Is honored that the men will be closing the 2008 World Championships.

Doesn’t want to be double billed like the heroines of Chicago.

Says spins are much more taxing than jumps. Says skaters are dizzy after spins and the ‘lick your blade’ spins make it difficult to breathe. Thinks one spin and one jump pass should be eliminated in order to give skaters more time to express themselves. Finds footwork and spirals to be exciting elements.

Will be touring with Champions On Ice in Japan in June, July and August. Will be a part of the Figure Skating in Harlem event on March 31st. Wasn’t invited to do Stars On Ice. Is currently talking to Ilia Averbukh and Evgeny Plushenko about performing in their shows in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Will be training in Moscow at Katok Olympiskii with Elena Tchaikovskaya's group until March 18th.

Saw Plushenko perform on Satellite TV. Didn’t think Plushenko looks up to his usual standard. He says Plushenko is quick at getting in shape, but may struggle with putting his nose to the grindstone and realizing that he won’t just be handed things.

Georgia Without Kupets

2008-03-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

When the season started, Coach Yoculan was worried about Georgia's depth. It is amazing to see how far the team has come, because they can easily manage a 198.000 without Courtney Kupets. Suzanne, Jay, Julie, Doug and Karin know how to get these girls prepared, fired up and confident for the post season.

Georgia's Road To A 198.000 With Their New Lineup

Vault
Dowlen: 9.800
Sessler: 9.800
Newby: 9.850
McComb: 9.900
Heenan: 9.925
Tolnay: 9.925

Total: 49.400

This is very doable for the team on vault. Megan Dowlen has been looking good in practice and is expected to lead the team off on the event. Dowlen knows how to pull out clutch vaults under pressure (9.875 at 2006 Super 6 Finals and 9.900 at 2007 NCAAs.) Heenan, McComb and Tolnay are all capable of 9.950+ on the event and are likely All-Americans on the apparatus.

Uneven Bars
Childs: 9.850
Newby: 9.850
Tolnay: 9.875
McCool: 9.900
Taylor: 9.925
Heenan: 9.925

Total: 49.475

These scores are very possible for the team. Jay Clark hammers handstands and stuck dismounts all year, which has a way of paying off in the post season. Their routine composition and execution are flawless. Courtney McCool came back just in the nick of time and her score can really help to escalate the scores of Grace Taylor and Katie Heenan. Grace has been solid all year, but her scores have proven that she will likely reach 9.950+ if she rips the interior and sticks the dismount.

Balance Beam
Mauro: 9.800
Childs: 9.850
Tolnay: 9.875
Taylor: 9.925
Heenan: 9.925
McCool: 9.950

Total: 49.525

Moving Katie into the fifth spot will help her to have enough time to mentally prepare after the Uneven Bars. She's felt a bit rushed at times this season and the team needs a stuck routine from her. Mauro has proven to be a solid scorer and has been first up a number of times this season. With the lineup now set, the team has a number of meets to find its rhythm.

Floor Exercise
Taylor: 9.850
Stack: 9.875
Heenan: 9.900
McComb: 9.925
Tolnay: 9.950
McCool: 9.950
Total: 49.600

Floor is the event where losing Kupets will impact the team the least. Their performers have proven themselves numerous times throughout the year and one can only imagine what they'll be capable of delivering in front of their fans during the NCAA Super Six Finals.

With so many performers, losing Kupets enabled the coaches to solidify the lineup so they can start practicing during their twice-weekly inter squads.

Do Yourself A Favor

2008-03-05T09:55:00.000-08:00

We have a new hot mess. Love it.

http://web.mac.com/seangolden13/Site/Episode_1.html

http://web.mac.com/seangolden13/Site/episode_2.html

He is a star.

Losing The Best

2008-03-01T17:15:00.000-08:00

It wasn't supposed to be like this. The University of Georgia was on track for the lofty 198.000 today when disaster struck; Courtney Kupets' achilles tendon gave way on the takeoff of her Double Arabian.
For the University of Georgia, it is a devastating loss. Kupets, the two-time reigning NCAA All-Around Champion, is the team's exclamation point. She has been thought to be a lock to break the NCAA record for individual titles (which remains a possibility upon her inevitable return next season) and has been the pizazz projecting her team to a fourth NCAA Team victory in a row.
With Shayla Worley visibly injured and lacking in confidence during today's American Cup, it appeared even more certain that Courtney Kupets would be providing her veteran leadership and heralded Uneven Bar abilities to the 2008 Olympic Team.
The gymnastics community is heartbroken today because Courtney Kupets has been adopted and beloved by fans all over the world for her positive attitude, unbelievable skills, genuine likability and incredible perseverance.
Countless other elite gymnasts have competed in NCAA Gymnastics and earned countless accolades, but it is Kupets who has been to one athlete to continually challenge herself and improve as a gymnast and a competitor over the past three years.
It would've been the perfect comeback to international competition. She is a World Champion, a two-time National Champion, an Olympic silver and bronze medalist, a seven-time NCAA Champion, and the scorer of 40 9.900+ scores during a single collegiate season (2006). She was 163 days away from leading the Americans to a big win over the Chinese on their home soil. It is the same title many blamed Kupets for costing the team in 2004 (though Patterson suffered three costly errors just two days before capturing All-Around gold).
All is not lost for Kupets or her team. While the loss of their star performer could likely cost the team a few tenths, it may be just the event needed to push the rest of the team to reach their maximum potential. Tiffany Tolnay and Katie Heenan have demonstrated remarkable consistency during the past few seasons and are waiting to bust out and dominate the field. With Katie Heenan's impressive 10.000 Vault today, Tolnay's season debut of her Yurchenko 1 1/2 after a battling a year-long mental block on the event, and McCool's 9.925-scoring return to the Uneven Bars, the Georgia Gym Dogs will remain a tough team to beat in April.
A year ago, it was Courtney Kupets who led the team chanting "How Bad Do You Want It" in the locker room in Salt Lake City after the team lost two key players. Now it's time for the team to return the favor and win it for Courtney.

The Performances of Courtney Kupets:

Her Olympic Experience

Where the Dream Began

The Day She Beat Khorkina

Coming Back For The Olympics

2006

2007

2008

Under The Lights

Walking In, Olympic Champion

2008-02-29T13:12:00.001-08:00

The Genius of Sandra Bezic

2008-02-27T19:34:00.000-08:00

Back when figure skating was under the 6.0 system, real artistry was able to be performed by the best skaters in the world. Today, most programs are choreographed by Lori Nichol, David Wilson, Tom Dickson and Nikolai Morozov. Unfortunately, skating is missing the choreographic genius of one of the world's finest choreographers.

In a world cluttered by GOE, downgrades, PCS and TES, skating might just be moving away from what made it popular in the first place: the emotional connection of movement to music. Programs used to be able to tell stories and transport viewers from their living rooms onto the ice.

Her work has shaped figure skating immeasurably and is greatly missed by those who continue to struggle with seeing the rationale behind decisions made by the ISU.

Remember when it was about skating?

The work:

Katarina Witt

Lu Chen

Kurt Browning

To Be Continued...

Random Videos

2008-02-09T18:58:00.000-08:00

Fluff about how Brian Wells came to skate with Shelby Lyons:

A look back at Russian pairs throughout history---from the 1992 Olympics.

Isabelle Duschenay was a piece of work!

The performance that won Meno and Sand their first world medal:

Midori Ito's encore from the 1992 Olympics Gala:

Kristi's first exhibition performance paid homage to Edith Piaf:

A 90's version of "Yankee Doodle Dandy"

Traci Wilson interviews Kristi backstage.

Nancy Kerrigan and Paul Wylie skated a special exhibition together at the gala:

A cute interview with Wylie and Kerrigan:

Tonya Harding's first attempt at skating her long program at the 1994 Olympics.

Her second attempt.

Nicole Bobek did her part to keep the USFSA on edge.

Men's Winter Cup

2008-02-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

Paul Hamm began his comeback effort with a strong performance at the Winter Cup last night. Hamm displayed readiness to compete with the best in the world and may be able to challenge for the Olympic All-Around title if he continues to improve over the next few months. The American Cup will be his first international competition since the 2004 Olympic Games. This is a welcome development for the USAG men's program who desperately needs Hamm if they hope to challenge for a spot on the podium. With a few more months of training and the opportunity to fine tune his sets at Nationals and the Olympic Trials, Hamm could challenge for several individual medals in Beijing.

Paul Hamm's scores:

Floor Exercise: 16.000 (1st Place)
Pommel Horse: 14.350 (Tied for 6th Place)Paul made a few errors, but is capable of contending for a spot in the event finals.
Rings: 15.550 (3rd Place) This event is where Paul has made the most improvement. Rings have never been his best event, but his extra strength training is paying off. Hamm could add considerable tenths to the USA's team total.
Vault: 16.300 (2nd Place) This is another event where's Hamm's score could boost the team total.
Parallel Bars: 15.250 (2nd Place)
High Bar: 15.350 (2nd Place) This is another event where Paul will really make a difference.
AA: 92.800 (1st Place)

The biggest surprise of the meet was the strong performance of Raj Bhavsar. If Bhavsar can hit again in the finals, the selection committee will have to consider naming him to the Olympic Team. Bhavsar's scores could help the USA be much more competitive in Beijing.

FX: 13.500 (33rd-Tie)
PH: 14.550 (3rd Place)
Rings: 15.800 (2nd Place)
Vault: 16.250 (3rd Place)
Parallel Bars: 15.200 (3rd Place)
High Bar: 13.700 (28th Place)
AA: 89.000 (2nd Place)

Sasha Artemev was 3rd overall with an 88.900. His best performances came on pommel horse - 15.150 (Tied for 1st Place) and on parallel bars with a 15.150 (4th).

David Durante failed to finish in the top five on any apparatus, while Guillero Alvarez was only able to muster a fourth place finish on pommel horse with a 14.450.

Blaine Wilson's return to competition was successful. Wilson competed on four events and recorded a sixth place finish on rings (15.150) and a fourth place finish on vault (16.200). The five-time national champion also tied for seventh on high bar with a 14.600 and tied for fourteenth on floor (14.350) after stepping out of bounds.

Other notable performances:

Kevin Tan: (4 events only)
PH: 13.650 (Tied for 14th)
RG: 16.350 (1st)
PB: 14.950 (Tied for 7th)
HB: 15.000 (3rd)

Jonathon Horton: (4 events only)
PH: 11.450 (Tied for 60th)
RG: 15.400 (4th)
PB: 14.750 (9th)
HB: 14.850 (4th)

Complete results available:
http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/men/2008/WC08PrelimCombined.htm

Although the scores are likely inflated, the 2008 Winter Cup scores present interesting new lineup possibilities for the Olympic Games. With Morgan Hamm, Sean Golden and Justin Spring added to the mix, the Olympic Trials will be infinitely more competitive.

The USA Men's scores from the 2007 World Championships.

Team Finals:
G. Alvarez: 15.600 FX, 15.600 VT
A. Artemev: 14.775 PH, 15.600 VT, 15.500 PB, 13.750 HB
D. Durante: 14.225 PH, 13.575 HB
S. Golden: 15.575 FX, 15.375 RG, 16.100 VT
J. Horton: 15.625 FX, 15.150 RG, 15.400 PB, 14.875 HB
K. Tan: 14.525 PH, 15.825 RG, 15.200 PB

Scores By Gymnast:
Jonathon Horton
Team Prelims: 15.475 FX, 14.150 PH, 15.325 RG, 15.375 VT, 15.500 PB, 15.075 HB
Team Finals: 15.625 FX, 15.150 RG, 15.400 PB, 14.875 HB
All-Around: 15.625 FX, 13.975 PH, 15.250 RG, 16.075 VT, 15.450 PB, 14.825 HB

Alexander Artemev
Team Prelims: 14.750 FX, 15.375 PH, 15.950 VT, 15.400 PB, 14.825 HB
Team Finals: 14.775 PH, 15.600 VT, 15.500 PB, 14.875 HB
Event Finals: 15.175 PH (6th)

Kevin Tan
Team Prelims: 14.575 PH, 16.050 RG, 15.300 PB, 12.825 HB
Team Finals: 14.525 PH, 15.825 RG, 15.200 PB
Event Finals: 16.325 RG (4th)

Guillermo Alvarez
Team Prelims: 15.700 FX, 13.500 PH, 14.650 RG, 15.650 VT, 14.675 PB, 14.000 HB
Team Finals: 15.600 FX, 15.600 VT
Event Finals: 15.600 FX (4th)

Sean Golden
Team Prelims: 15.200 FX, 15.225 RG, 16.000 VT
Team Finals: 15.575 FX, 15.375 RG, 16.100 VT

Dave Durante
Team Prelims: 14.225 FX, 14.500 PH, 14.625 RG, 16.625 VT, 15.075 PB, 14.625 HB
Team Finals: 14.225 PH, 13.575 HB
All-Around: 13.700 FX, 14.750 PH, 14.875 RG, 15.725 VT, 15.300 PB, 14.475 HB

With Paul Hamm, Raj Bhavsar, Blaine Wilson, Justin Spring and Morgan Hamm back in the picture, it is likely that many members of the 2007 World Team will not be named to the Olympic Squad. Most at risk are Dave Durante and Sean Golden. Durante does not offer any usable scores for team finals and Golden's scores are easily replaceable by Morgan Hamm and/or Justin Spring.

The Germans finished in third place at worlds with a team total of 273.525, while the USA was fourth with a 272.275. Replacing Durante with Paul Hamm could make up most of the gap between the two teams.

This is how the Americans would've done with Paul Hamm competing in place of Dave Durante and Raj Bhavsar competing in place of Sean Golden.

Note: One tenth has been subtracted from each score earned at the Winter Cup in order to account for inflation. The World Championships scores are used for the gymnasts who competed at both the Winter Cup and the World Championships.

For this scenario, Horton has been pulled from rings and Artemev has been pulled from vault.

P. Hamm: 15.900 FX, 14.250 PH, 15.450 RG, 16.200 VT, 15.150 PB, 15.250 HB
J. Horton: 15.625 FX, 15.400 PB, 14.875 HB
S. Artemev: 14.775 PH, 15.500 PB, 14.875 HB
K. Tan: 15.825 RG
R. Bhavsar: 14.450 PH, 15.700 RG, 16.150 VT
G. Alvarez: 15.600 FX 15.600 VT
Team Totals: 47.125 FX, 43.475 PH, 46.975 RG, 47.950 VT, 46.050 PB, 45.000 HB
Difference: + 0.325 FX, -0.050 PH, +0.625 RG, +0.650 VT, -0.050 PB, +2.800 HB

Conclusion: The USA is in good shape to challenge for a medal. These scores would have the USA competitive with Japan, which is probably overly-optimistic. This could prove to be legitimate in sixth months if Morgan Hamm and/or Justin Spring are up to full speed. In that case, Kevin Tan's comparative advantage on rings may not be enough to name him to the team. Guillermo Alvarez's prowess on floor could also be jeopardized with both Hamm's competing. It is too bad that Paul and Morgan took time off; both had the goods to earn fistfuls of gold, silver and bronze at the last three world championships.

A Great Rivalry

2008-02-07T10:49:00.000-08:00

Kristi Yamaguchi could give Kimmie Meissner useful advice about handling criticism from the press. The press moved Yamaguchi to focus solely on singles, much the same way they have pushed Meissner to make a coaching change.

The press had a field day when Yamaguchi lost two competitions during the fall of 1991. Both Tonya Harding and Midori Ito beat Yamaguchi with performances that included strong Triple Axels. The two losses only causes Yamaguchi to work even harder, leading her to the top step on the Olympic podium.

Shortly after splitting with Rudy Galindo, Yamaguchi scored a big win over Ito at the 1990 Skate America International. (She even lands a Triple Salchow!)

Ito couldn't match Yamaguchi's balanced program.

The 1991 Nationals were supposed to catapult Kristi Yamaguchi into the 1991 Worlds as the reigning US Champion. Yamaguchi lost the event 7-2 after Harding (who skated to Batman) landed a Triple Axel.

Tonya's shining moment:

The Triple Axel wasn't enough for Tonya to win the 1991 Worlds.

After having two throat surgeries leading up to the World Championships, Midori Ito's season was best characterized by her short program in Munich.

Ito's loss of confidence was obvious during her long program.

Yamaguchi's loss at Nationals fueled a fantastic performance in Munich.

Yamaguchi tried her best, but was unable to get a Triple Axel in time.

Ito made changes after Munich and was peaking for the 1992 Olympics.

Yamaguchi's Triple Salchow continued to plague her as she entered the final stretch.

Ito scored a critical victory in Paris. The press assumed the Olympics would be a showdown between Ito and Harding. Whoever landed the Triple Axel was supposed to win the Olympics.

Yamaguchi fought back at the 1992 US Nationals and finally won a title the senior ladies event.

Midori Ito seemed unstoppable when she first arrived at the Olympics.

Yamaguchi was a picture of consistency during her Olympic practice sessions. Practicing in Megeve helped her avoid the heat of the press. When she returned, it was apparent that there would be a showdown between the "athlete" and the "artist" for Olympic Gold.

The draw for the short program.

Under immense pressure, Ito's final practices rattled her nerves. Bonaly's controversial practice furthered Ito's downward spiral.

Disaster Strikes.

Harding actually landed her Triple Axel during the warm-up.

Harding took a risk and wound up two spots behind Ito.

The pressure was affecting the entire field on the night of the long program.

Yamaguchi nearly locked up the gold medal with this long program victory. It would've taken superb efforts from Ito and Harding to overcome her lead entering the long program.

Ito fought for her long program and turned her luck around. The last 90 seconds of her program created a frenzy.

It was all too overwhelming for Laetitia Hubert. A strong short program found her in the unexpected position of challenging for a medal in front of her home crowd. She would forever be coined "the human zamboni" by skating fans.

Ito was relieved for the competition to finally be over.

Kristi backed up her gold medal by winning the world championships. She is the last female Olympic Champion to defend her title at the following world championships.

Her winning ways continued as a professional. Yamaguchi was undefeated in 1992.

Ito would eventually rain on Yamaguchi's professional party.

Kristi did not like losing her world professional crown. She returned determined to regain her thrown.

It appeared that Ito would ruin Yamaguchi's party again.

Yamaguchi unleashed her newfound fierce sex appeal.

With a bevy of prize money available in the many pro competitions, Yamaguchi was well prepared for 1994-1995 and her earnings continue to increase three years after winning her Olympic title.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

2008-02-05T22:10:00.000-08:00

Oksana Baiul fluff from the 1998 World Pros.

Mishkutionok and Dmitriev's command performance from the 1994 Olympics.

Nicole Bobek fluff from the 1995 World Championships.

The infamous "Dragon Lady" fluff.

Kristi Yamaguchi fluff from the 1996 US Pro Figure Skating Championships.

This and That

2008-02-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

News continues to pick up as just six months remain until the summer games.

1. Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Maurice Greene announced his retirement from track and field. Injured will prevent Greene from challenging for another Olympic Gold in the 100 meters. Greene, the 2000 Olympic Champion in the 100m, will now focus his attention on coaching and various business efforts.

2. Valentine Piacentini, Italy's former #1 table tennis player, has been banned for 20 months (effective last June) for testing positive for cocaine at the Italian Championships. This marks yet another doping scandal to rock the sports world this year.

3.The USA's Tyson Gay guarantees that he will be substance free when her attempts to be the first man since Carl Lewis to win Olympic Gold in both the 100 and 200 meter races. It is a sad moment for the sports world when an athlete has to vow to be substance free.

4. The Beijing Olympic committee is currently testing x-ray machines in two of its subway stations. If the machines are successful, the committee hopes to boost their anti-terrorism efforts by installing the machines throughout every subway station in the city.

5. Although he split from his longtime coach last month, 24-year-old Jeremy Wariner vows to break Michael Johnson's 400m record of 43.18 seconds by or before the summer games. Johnson is Wariner's agent and mentor.

6. Fresh on the heels of media speculation that she should make an immediate coaching change, Kimmie Meissner has left coach Pam Gregory to train for Richard Callaghan in Ft. Lauderdale for the next six weeks. It is undecided whether this is a temporary or permanent switch. Callaghan is a known task master and pushed Todd Eldredge, Tara Lipinski and Nicole Bobek to the best form of their careers. Meissner hopes to rebound from a rough season and earn a medal at next month's World Figure Skating Championships. The USFSA is counting on Meissner to deliver a strong performance in order to assure that the USA will have three ladies eligible to compete at the 2009 World Championships. Meissner, the 2007 National Champion, finished 6th out of 6 skaters at the Grand Prix Final and then tumbled to seventh at last week's United States Figure Skating Championships.

7. Mattie Larson, last month's USOC Athlete of the Month, finished first on floor (15.350) and second on balance beam (15.400) at this past weekend's WOGA Classic. Larson's scores are solid, but the new senior competitor will need to improve those scores by a few tenths if she hopes to sway the selection committee to name her to the Olympic Team. Larson decided to remain a junior international elite in 2007, forgoing a chance to qualify for the 2007 World Championships. If Larson is to make a bid for the Olympic Team, it would be extremely beneficial for the AOGC gymnast to be named to the Pacific Alliance squad. The 2007 Jr. Pan American Games currently rank as Larson's biggest international event.

This and That

2008-02-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

As the games approach, athletes are beginning to make their mark in 2008.

1. This week's national team training camp saw a lot of athletes competing upgraded routines. Shawn Johnson showed her Amanar on vault (2 1/2 Twisting Yurchenko), while Shayla Worley and Nastia Liukin are now performing double twisting yurchenkos. Vault will play a key part in distancing the team from the Chinese during team finals. Peszek is also said to be training an Amanar, while Jana Bieger showed a tucked rudi on vault. Jana's full twisting double layout is now consistent on floor, improving her A score and her chances to make the 2008 squad. Mattie Larson continues to improve and could peak just in time for the Olympic Trials. It is rumored that Peszek will be the 4th American competing at the American Cup. This is a plum assignment, but she will face tough competition from Worley, Johnson and Liukin.

2. Johnny Weir officially withdrew from the Four Continents Championships. Weir will use the time to make sure he is maximizing his levels and point totals. Don't be shocked if Weir has a Quad Toe in the short program at Worlds. Weir could also be ready to unveil a Quad Salchow at Worlds. If Weir is able to perform a Quad Toe+Triple Toe in the short program, he will have the ability to achieve a significant lead with his high PCS scores.

3. Jeremy Wariner, the reigning World and Olympic Champion in the 400 meters, split with longtime coach Clyde Hart. The split was due to an inability to reach a contractual agreement over Hart's salary. Hart claims Wariner wanted him to take a cut in pay, despite his salary being higher than most coaches. Wariner's agent, Michael Johnson, says the split shouldn't affect Wariner and feels his client is still on track to repeat as Olympic Champion.
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=reu-warinerdc&prov=reuters&type=lgns

4. Michael Phelps returned to competition last weekend and won 5 of the 6 events he entered (he entered the 6th event, the 50m freestyle 'just for fun') after breaking his wrist two months ago. Phelps claims the injury was just what he needed to be motivated to take his training up a notch. Phelps' efforts last weekend are significant because they are faster than the results he achieved at the same event last year. Ian Thorpe's recent statements may fuel Phelps even further. Thorpe feels there is "no chance" Phelps can break Mark Spitz's record of seven Olympic Gold Medals. Phelps and two training partners recently spent three weeks training at high altitude.

5. Amanda Beard also competed last weekend and nabbed a bronze medal. Beard hasn't competed much since 2004, but expects to be ready by Olympic Trials. NBC Olympics posted an extensive interview with Beard.
http://universalsports.nbcsports.com/articles/show/43660?sport_id=21

Crazy Eights: Appealing Incentives to go “Ape Shit” over the Upcoming Olympics

2008-01-30T03:32:00.000-08:00

Chances are, unless you’re a “number nerd”, your calendar isn’t counting down to 8.08.08, when the summer Olympic Games blast off at Beijing National Stadium. Props if you knew the Olympics were in China or knew they were approaching at all. Given that the United States biggest “frenemy” is hosting, chances are you’ll be forced to take notice.

The Basics
China’s excitement over hosting their first Olympiad is palpable. The opening ceremonies, historically a four-hour snoozefest, figure to usher in the games with a campy, over-the-top extravaganza. [Think The Sound of Music meets The Brady Bunch Variety Hour] Organizers are commencing the ceremony at precisely 8:08 p.m. and eight seconds (on the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008).
The Chinese, all 1.3 billion of them, are a proud people. Hosting the games provides them with the perfect propaganda opportunity to kick American ass in front of billions.

Who gives a crap about the Olympics anymore?

Medal counts and endorsement deals aren’t supposed to matter at the Olympics, an idealistic fortnight bringing together the world’s best and brightest. If you think the Olympic Oath is taken seriously, google “Olympics” and “controversy.” Despite being ethically questionable, the Olympics are the ultimate television event; a two-week-long Real World where game faces are on and the only smiles are the fake ones flashed at television cameras or given during interviews on The Today Show.

American athletes are taught to display “good sportsmanship” at all times. Michelle Kwan is an international icon for integrity and classy behavior. The figure skating legend has made a career out of attaining levels of political correctness political strategists salivate over. But Kwan is a boring soundbyte; and probably fake. Like the rest of America, Kwan hopefully dropped a few f-bombs after Tara Lipinski (known as “Terror” among the skating world) ear-piercingly screeched her way to the top of the media stand.

Luckily for NBC, international athletes are shipped to the games minus the shrink-wrap and prepared sound bytes. Female Russian athletes are notorious divas who never fail to maximize their fifteen minutes of fame. Unfortunately, Svetlana Khorkina no longer competes in gymnastics. The infamous “girl who looks like a duck” knew what viewers craved, and she certainly delivered. Khorkina announced at her 2003 Worlds post-victory press conference that silver medalist Carly Patterson did not worry her because she would “run to fat.” Patterson did gain weight, but only after emerging victorious in their close Olympic All-Around battle.

Khorkina symbolizes what is best about the games: Arrogant athletes being tested, vetted and humiliated before billions of viewers, while being followed by relentless paparazzi eager for the games to be their launching pad. (One can only imagine how much CBS paid the undisclosed cameraman who managed catching an exhausted and agitated Nancy Kerrigan mocking Oksana Baiul, the Ukrainian orphan who usurped her position as beloved ice princess.) Wide World of Sports began 30 years of weekly sporting broadcasts with the clichéd “thrill of victory and agony of defeat.” No one embodies this excitement better than Khorkina, who posed for Playboy, tore off her team silver medal on the award stand in Sydney, wept when organizers set the vault incorrectly, and draped the uneven bars with the Russian flag following her final Olympic performance.

NBC may be missing its Katarina Witt, but the peacock never fails to provide sensationalism to viewers. You probably stopped watching the games a long time ago; without trailer park ice queens clubbing competitors, you lack the urge to “TiVo.” Tonya and Nancy might’ve moved on, but that doesn’t mean you should. The Olympics are the ultimate reality show, with more cat-fighting divas, dramatic situations and unique personalities than can be accorded due media attention.

The Beauty of It All?
The Olympics, Jack MacFarland’s sports-watching heaven, inundate the media with stories of glitter, tears, confetti and corruption, and then vacate pop-culture faster than Britney Spears leaving rehab. So indulge! Need more convincing? Here are eight sinfully-delicious arguments for complete submission to the campiest two weeks to be encountered this decade (and some excuses to tell your friends).

1. Political Rivalries Turn Ugly
Utter ignorance aside, you’re probably familiar with a Lake Placid hockey team that crushed America’s cold-war rival in the ultimate international grudge match. China’s been a thorn in America’s economic arse since the mid-‘90s, and their government is gunning to kick American ass. Their government-sponsored sports system, modeled after the Soviet sports machine, is upping investments in order to ensure that the world will be “seeing red.” NBC, eager for a ratings slam-dunk, will exploit and over-plug all encounters between the U.S. and China when golden Olympic hardware is at stake. GE’s television suits want viewers to be cheering and jeering when gymnasts are bobbling on the beam. Does ”Battle of the Brians” ring a bell? How about “Battle of the Carmens?’ Try: gymnastics grudge-match of the century. China, the 2006 World Gymnastics Team Champions, are eager to rip the gold medals off the necks of the Americans who bested them this past summer. Think Kerri Strug ending four decades of communist gymnastics reign on American soil was a big deal? Imagine sucker punching the sport’s most talented team. The Chinese high five their way to victory, but it remains to be seen whether three-time world vault champion Cheng Fei will shed some serious tears.

Must See TV: A team showdown has not been this intense since the “Miracle on Ice.” China’s government expects gold and applies unyielding political pressure, but it’s been known to backfire. Their gymnasts are known for either delivering insurmountable performances, or for hemorrhaging when a team member manages the slightest crack. The Chinese men’s team has won all but one world title since 1994, but has only achieved victory at one of the past three Olympics during their reign. America’s top gymnast, Nastia Liukin, is the daughter of two soviet gymnastics legends and sports a bone-chilling “bitch face.” The American girls barely like their own teammates, so imagine the tension during team finals, when rowdy Chinese crowds want payback. Luckily for viewers, gymnastics’ MTV generation is much more attractive and socially aware than their wet-towel “Magnificent Seven” ancestors.

Tidbit: In the gymnastics community, “to Chinese” is a verb describing a type of mistake made by a stellar athlete who invariably cracks under pressure.
E.g.,: Paul Hamm had the title within his grasp until he “chinesed” his release move and ate the high bar. (To be used as a small side-bar next to the first bullet point’s justification)

2. Amanda Beard: Good Girl Gone Bad
At fourteen, the Atlanta Olympian brought her teddy bear atop the medal stand. Beard’s sultry spreads in Playboy, Maxim and FHM expunge any remaining visions of the animal-loving teenaged breast stroke dynamo. Following an Athens layoff, Amanda’s awaited answer to critics and jealous female onlookers will be center stage among Howard Stern’s cult following. Don’t expect Beard to shy away if Stern requests appearances. The wannabe model, who dates a photographer, is an unwavering attention whore.

Voice of Reason: Attractiveness aside, Beard’s affability wanes when you account for what an opportunist she is. Following the last two Olympic Games, Beard took two years off each time to pursue her burgeoning popular appeal. Her face will be everywhere, but make a mental note of any story about her that actually focuses on her breast stroke. Although her hubris has swelled, recent late night talk show appearances show her to be in good athletic shape. Beard now talks about staying in until 2012 because she “loves competing.” The Heff may be able to buy her implants, but can he buy her another gold medal? Defense of her 2004 world record is at stake.

3. Buzz worthy: Phelps Renews Quest for Record Gold Medal Haul
Second-string preliminary round-swimming pawns beware: don’t bother slipping into your Speedo if you’re susceptible to cracking under pressure. Michael Phelps means business. His 2004 quest to surpass Mark Spitz’s ’72-seven-gold-medal-haul ended because a preliminary round placeholder carelessly false started; disqualifying the Americans before their first stringers ever had a chance. Phelps’ recent stash of golden medals earned at world championships (six in ’05; seven in ’07) raises reasonable expectations that he’ll surpass Spitz. If that isn’t offering enough reasons for Phelps to lose sleep over, Speedo is once again dangling a $1 million reward.

Sports-broadcasting “Porn”: Forget the usual tape delays, NBC is airing
Phelps’ quest LIVE in primetime. NBC perpetuated international perceptions of
Americans by strong-arming the Beijing Olympic Committee to hold swimming
finals during the wee-morning hours. Be prepared for vociferous complaints
should Phelps be successful.

4. Recent Gymnastics Controversies Loom
Gymnastics’ “esteemed” governing body, in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee, manages to muck-up every Olympics. Whether the vault is set at the wrong height, or a beloved champion is stripped of her titles for being given a Sudafed by her doctor, reporters will be all over it. Paul Hamm is still trying to justify whether he rightfully won the 2004 Olympic All-Around title. News broadcasts had viewers debating whether or not “the Korean” had too many hand-holds on parallel bars.

Future Suspects: Results are going to be bitched about, so know your facts for the water cooler debates you’ll be having with coworkers. Note: The FIG, gymnastics’ governing body, is run by Bruno Grandi, friend and countryman of Ottavio Cinquanta. Ottavio, a.k.a. “Speedy”, is the speed skater turned International Skating Union president who engineered the “anonymous judging system” adopted by figure skating as a means of jettisoning future media scandals. The FIG followed suit, leaving casual viewers more confused than ever Grandi’s countrywoman, Vanessa Ferrari, benefits from the new judging system. Ferrari frequently finds herself a medalist in international events, despite ghastly form and execution. Ferrari was injured in ’07, but be on the lookout for suspect successes in the Olympic year..

5. Admit It, You’re a Sucker for Fluff Pieces
“Look into her eyes; she is the face of a nation.” NBC’s army of melodramatic commentators are being deployed early to prepare those gripping human interest stories about children being ripped from their parents to be sacrificed to a socialized sports machine. Russian breadlines are also popular backdrops for them. John Tesh is still a media punching bag for announcing “little girls are dancing for gold” in Atlanta.
Tissue Alert: Expect Yekatarina Kramarenko to weep on-screen about costing the Russian women’s gymnastics team a medal at the 2007 Worlds due to a careless error. Teammates aren’t very forgiving when a medal is the difference between a comfortable life for your family or starving.

6. FCC and NAACP Nightmares

Summer Olympic fortnights present embarrassingly-accurate stereotypes: white men still can’t jump and they’re not great at running either. Country-club divisions among the U.S. Sports Teams continually entertain viewers. How many Chinese names will be slaughtered by commentators? Janet Jackson’s legacy lives on: expect serious FCC complaints by the Parents Television Council should any divers sport skimpy Speedos.

Visual Train Wrecks: The Chinese women’s gymnastics team received a penalty for offensive leotards in Barcelona. 2004 Olympic Champion, Catalina Ponor, briefly returned to competition bigger and bustier than ever before. Ponor’s high-cut leotards and perpetual wedgies were visual eye sores, with her recent retirement making her a likely candidate to continue her Romanian teammates’ legacy of Japanese Adult Film Superstardom.

7. Torch Lighting Mysteries
Who will light the torch and how will they do it? Barcelona trumped everyone by lighting the torch using a bow and arrow, so using Olympic heroes is preferable. Mohammad Ali caused a stir when he visually shook as he lit the Atlanta torch.

Prediction: Expect the Chinese to out-do Parkinson’s. Sang Lan, the Chinese gymnast paralyzed in New York at the 1998 Goodwill Games, is a top candidate to light the torch. Salt Lake City’s ceremony showed Dick Button running the torch into the arena months after suffering a fractured skull. Torch lighting is on the verge of achieving Lifetime Movie status.

8. International Redemption?
Going against the U.N. didn’t engender any global American support. NBC’s arrogant strong-arming doesn’t help. Marion Jones’s admission that her “Drive for Five” was a sham further damns American credibility. With scandals plaguing every major-league sport in America, Jones’ is notable because of her insistent, angry denials of steroid use. Jones faces sentencing and the expunging of her name from books, but it remains unclear whether Jones’ relay teammates will also be forced to relinquish their Olympic hardware.

Enter: The Dream Team
The U.S. Men’s Basketball Team is going for gold the old fashion way: by recruiting multimillionaire NBA stars to slam dunk the competition. Ethics seemed important at the time, when criticisms arose of the ’92 Dreamers Harlem-Globetrotting all over the Barcelona event. Jordan won’t be back, but Kobe expects to be the USA’s hit man. Given Kobe’s experience with the law, perhaps he can recommend a lawyer for Marion. Alleged rapists make the best role models.

Final Thoughts on Figure Skating Nationals

2008-01-30T01:22:00.000-08:00

1. Kimmie Meissner is a fighter. The country needs to be supporting her and egging her on to figure out her slump and to regain her confidence. The press (especially Phil Hersh) has been extremely critical of Meissner all year and has been waiting to hand over her reign to one of the younger skaters. Unfortunately for Meissner, she won the 2006 World Championship when she wasn’t at the level of the best in the world. Had everything gone as planned, Sasha Cohen or Fumie Suguri would’ve won, Meissner would’ve medaled, and then Meissner could’ve continued to develop without being expected to deliver a world champion performance in every competition. Kimmie Meissner performed with improved artistry and palpable fire and intensity at Skate America. It appears that the press and the downgrades by the technical callers have shaken her confidence. Hopefully now that the worst has happened (a weak Grand Prix Final and a poor showing at Nationals), the former world champion will get angry, get tough and skate with belief again. Meissner and Wagner should both finish in the top 7 if they skate solid performances.

2. Tanith Belin and Ben Agosto have the programs to win at worlds. They will need to convincingly out-skate Domnina and Shabalin and hope the non-Russian judges lobby their support behind them. Their free dance is intricate and performed with speed and passion. This could be their year. If Belbin and Agosto are able to win in Vancouver, Ice Dancing could become perceived as a legitimate discipline in the US. The duo has the skating, the looks and the personalities to become media darlings in 2010.
3. The fact that Bebe Liang has qualified for a world team is proof that the country may be in jeopardy of not having three ladies qualify to the 2009 World Championships. Skaters are not usually given infinite chances to prove their legitimacy. Bebe has never finished higher than fourth in eight trips to senior nationals. The USFSA has sent Liang to seven Grand Prix events, but the world team member has failed to home a medal. Inconsistency continues to plague the California native; she popped her combination jump in the short program at nationals and popped two jumps in her long program. Liang is too inconsistent to be relied upon to deliver three spots for worlds next season.

4. Ryan Bradley and Emily Hughes should join SOI next fall so they can develop into fan favorites by the Olympic season. Both would be naturals on the professional circuit and would likely find their niche skating on tour. (They could also recoup funds and heal their beat-up bodies.) This hip injury could be a blessing in disguise, providing Hughes with a graceful exit from the senior ranks. The 2006 Olympian performed well at Skate America, but the writing was on the wall when she finished behind Caroline Zhang in both portions of the competition. Her programs were more subtle and nuanced than ever before. Hughes’ body type just doesn’t appear to be built to handle several Triple-Triple combinations.
5. It may be better for Caroline Zhang to skip Junior Worlds. Meissner has been under attack from the press all year. Will Zhang be hounded if she is unable to defend her title? Will it affect her world status? With extra training time, Zhang can make significant improvements in her speed of skating, presentation, jump rotations, takeoff edges and can learn useful combinations for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. With some luck, Zhang will grow a few inches over the summer. A few added inches and pounds will help Zhang develop speed and power. Working with arm weights could also help Zhang fix her Lutz technique.
6. Weir and Lysacek are both capable of medaling at worlds. Instead of lobbying for Wagner or Meissner to medal, the USFSA should try to put both men on the podium at worlds.
7. If Alissa Czisny wants to have a future in the sport, she’ll need to break her “nice girl” image and leave Julie Berlin in favor or working full-time with Linda Leaver and Brian Boitano. Coach Julie Berlin's promised jump improvements have failed to materialize for the past three seasons. Czisny's spins, spirals and artistry are competitive with the best in the world, but her jumps continue to hold her back. If she is in the middle of relearning her technique, practicing with Leaver and Boitano everyday gives her a much better chance of implementing the changes successfully. It would be ideal if Kimmie Meissner transferred to work with Leaver and Boitano as well. Czisny and Meissner’s opposite strengths and weaknesses could help push each other to improve. Having a training partner pushed Jill Trenary and Caryn Kadavy to be much better skaters.

8. One of the ladies needs to beg Sandra Bezic to choreograph their programs. With so many skaters going to Nichol, Wilson and Morozov for choreography, Bezic could provide a fresh look that helps the skater stand out. Zhang may be the best candidate, as she has been looking to show more passion and better presentation. Li Minzghu worked with Sandra Bezic when Lu Chen was competing and the results were legendary.

9. It is doubtful that either Cohen or Kwan will make comebacks to the international scene. It is very possible that Kwan could be offered a salary she can’t refuse and finally skate with Stars On Ice now that SOI and COI will merge. Cohen has never performed better or appeared as confident as she does on tour this season. The Olympic Silver Medalist is finally performing exhibitions with innovative choreography, instead of merely showcasing her trademark spirals and spins.
10. It is exciting that Pasha Grishuk now coaches and choreographs for Inoue and Baldwin. Grishuk could give the pair pizzazz and help the skaters receive better marks from the Russian judges.
11. With ABC covering worlds, it would be fantastic if NBC and IMG co-produced a professional skating event. Sasha Cohen, Michelle Kwan, Emily Hughes, Irina Slutskaya and Shizuka Arakawa would deliver huge ratings around the world if they were provided with big enough incentives (appearance fees and prize money) to face off in World Pro-type event. Eldredge, Weiss, Yagudin, Kulik , Sandhu and Plushenko could deliver big ratings on the men’s side. With so many skaters from North America having strong medal chances in Vancouver, pro skating could be revitalized if enough skaters move on. Buttle, Weir and Lysacek could provide a pro scene with strong rivalries post-Vancouver.
12. Is anyone sad we haven’t seen any typical-Zmeivskaya vamping in any of Weir’s routines? Perhaps Johnny Weir and Oksana Baiul can perform a duet in a TV Special where they each performed the other’s signature routines. Perhaps Baiul could be persuaded to lend skaters her artistic expertise? The Olympic Champion is creative and a natural choreographer.
13. He may have joked about being the voice of Ice Network, but does anyone know if Brain Boitano will be joining Nancy Kerrigan next season? Their friendship could enable them to develop strong on-air chemistry. Kerrigan has improved tremendously over the course of the season, and Boitano already has a wealth of experience. It would be amusing to hear the two friends banter back and forth.
14. Christine Brennan's recent column mentioned that the USFSA didn't fight to petition a change in the age requirement back in 2006, when they knew our junior ranks were developing considerable depth. Isn't it time that the USFSA, the federation who pays the ISU its highest broadcasting fee, stands up for its skaters? It isn't surprising that the federation hasn't, given that Phyllis Howard is on the ISU Technical Committee and Ron Hershberger is President of the USFSA. According to Jon Jackson's book, Howard refused to file a protest with the court of arbitration after learning that Tamara Moskvina made deals against Ina and Zimmerman in order to assure the Chinese of the bronze and the Chinese judge's vote for the Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze. (Jackson, On Edge 190-209) It is time for the USFSA to take an aggressive stand and fight for the best interests of the sport: fairness in judging, a repeal of the new judging system, and new age requirements. If the ISU council continues to bow to Cinquanta's wishes, the sport may alienate remaining viewers and rob the sport of the joy and artistry that has attracted fans and participants for decades.
15. Tracy Wilson's voice could soothe a nation amidst a nuclear attack. It has been wonderful to hear her commentating for American TV again this season.

The Men's Event

2008-01-29T21:37:00.000-08:00

Skating results shouldn’t shock me, but they never fail to. One is naïve if they believe an extra double loop or double toe loop by Weir would’ve made a difference. Results are still controlled by the judges, who discuss placements during practice sessions and nightly cocktail parties. Lysacek’s victory had little to do with his skating. He surely wasn’t awarded personal bests for his scratchy landings on 5-6 jumping passes. This narrow victory is a result of Lysacek being the USFSA’s “yes” man. When one listens to Evan Lysacek in interviews or reads his quotes, they should be able to discern a disingenuous quality. When the national champion mentions how “masculine” skating is or how skating “is like the X Games”, he is playing up to the USFSA and how they prefer to market the sport. While fans, judges, skaters and coaches have accepted the fact that the majority of male skaters are gay, the powers that be are uncomfortable with letting it be known that nationals are a bigger gay dating convention than all state choir.

From reading competitors’ Q+A’s, journals and seeing their numerous photo ops on television, Evan Lysacek and Tanith Belbin’s romance appears as believable as Rock Hudson and Doris Day. While I am not labeling either skater one way or the other, several skaters have been known to chuckle at their relationship, with the most common response being, “Tanith is a smart girl. She knows what she’s doing.” During the opening of NBC’s broadcast of the men’s program, it takes a few moments to realize when the image shifts from Weir to Lysacek due to their wardrobe similarities. Perhaps we should put them on “The Newlywed Game” and see exactly how much they know about one another.
When it comes to judging the actual skating, why aren’t the judges supporting a skater who has gotten in the best shape of career, is skating to brilliant, original music with innovative choreography? Weir actually went for a Quad Toe, which was cleaner than Lysacek’s attempt, and most of Weir's jumping passes were completed with long flowing edges, while Lysacek landed extremely forward on both Triple Axels and hung on to his Triple Salchow and Triple Toe. The international judges love Weir and awarded him two Grand Prix victories, while Lysacek couldn’t even win Skate America (Figure Skating’s version of the American Cup a.k.a. SCAM Cup) Remember the days when Frank Carroll and Lori Nichol wouldn’t allow Michelle Kwan to skate to music that had been previously used by anyone? Why have they insisted on playing the “paint by numbers” approach to Lysacek’s music and choreography? We’ve see him skate to Zorro, Tosca, Carmen and Malaguena, with each overused piece of music being expressed by extraneous overwrought arm movements from his previous year’s program. This is not innovate “artistry.” Perhaps is Lysacek spent less time creating an image preferable to the USFSA, we might see his true personality come out and feel more of a connection. When I watch Lysacek’s free program, I often wonder if I’d prefer watching Irina Slutskaya grab her head with fake angst. Luckily, the rest of the USFSA senior men have given up the country’s tradition of portraying soldiers or something equally farfetched and “masculine.”

The international judges have proven that they are not necessarily looking to see who the most “masculine” skater is. John Curry was not punished for being himself when he won the gold medal in 1976; neither was Urmanov in 1994. Weir is beloved around the world for being true to himself on and off the ice. Now training under Galina Zmeivskaya, Weir has the skating and the political force to challenge for the World Title. When it comes time for Vancouver, I’d rather be Johnny than Evan. Galina Zmievskaya has pulled off two difficult victories, while Frank Carroll has been on the losing end twice. It will be inconsequential whether the USFSA backs Johnny or Evan, because Weir’s alliances with Galina Zmeivskaya, Tatiana Tarasova, Marina Anissina, Viktor Petrenko, Oksana Baiul, Evgeny Platov, Irina Slutskaya, and countless others should give him the support of the former Soviet Bloc. The Russians do not have a top contender this year, which means it is likely the Russians will put their vote behind a skater whom recently was an award titled “For Love of Russia.” Weir may prove to be the USA’s best chance for gold at Worlds (Belbin and Agosto are ready, but they face a Russian dance team who possess Russia’s only serious chance at winning a world title this season).

Weekend Goodies

2008-01-25T16:41:00.000-08:00

(I'll be posting more hard-news artlces within the next few days. I've had the flu.

Oksana Baiul was made for reality television. This would only happen to Oksana on the day of the Olympic Long Program.

Way to spit out your gum while being interviewed!

Back when only the Japanese media was crazy... Oh, how things would be so different two years later.

1992 Olympios Ladies Preview and Yamaguchi Profile:

1992 Olympics Ladies SP Practice and Draw.

If throwing (and landing) a triple axel at 3:30 in her long program didn't win you over, Midori will be sure sure to wow you with her infinite charm.

This is what happens when choreography, music, natural presentation ability, sex appeal and one hot cat suit work perfectly together. Thank you, Sandra and Katarina!

The making of Carmen On Ice. (Katarina won an emmy for this performance.)

When a government ruins a skating career:

Ratings Gold: Someone needs to pay these two to compete in Vancouver. Where are the Russian divas when we need them?!?!

Assorted Gems

2008-01-24T07:17:00.001-08:00

Oksana Baiul Fluff from 1993 and 1994:

Kudos to whomever knows what song she's dancing to.

Baiul's 1993 Nations Cup LP.

Paul Wylie's LP from the 1992 Olympics.

Janet Lynn Fluff from the 1998 Olympics.

Someone who didn't take the bronze quite as well:

(I love how blunt Katarina Witt is.)

The Block Judging Fiasco

Best. Flower. Girls. Ever.

Worth Watching

2008-01-23T19:44:00.000-08:00

I love their dynamic.

I miss that fire from Sasha. She lost confidence and hid that part of herself between 2002-2006.

Fluff on the Weir/Lysacek rivalry at the 2001 Junior Worlds. This is only going to get more intense and more heated between now and Vancouver.

Jenny's program always puts a smile on my face when I'm having a bad day.

It is wonderful to see Sasha Cohen be so comfortable with herself during an interview.

I hope she writes an adult memoir in 20 years or so. She must have so much to share.

This interview is fabulously awkward. It is so much fun to see Michelle's facial expressions when he asks her some of those questions. She must be a riot when she is allowed to let her guard down.

The Comeback Trail

2008-01-23T04:24:00.000-08:00

Why am I the only one who thinks Ashley Preiss still has a shot at making the Olympic Team? She has only been training for two months and looks like she's on schedule to have a Morgan White-like performance at Olympic Trials.

The USA could use her consistency.

She has nothing to lose. Even if she doesn't make the team, she is almost assured to be a star in college. I think the "bubble girls" who are professional (e.g. Memmel, Bieger, etc) will feel much more pressure about making/not making the team.

Fabulosity

2008-01-21T01:04:00.001-08:00

My Favorite Things

2008-01-20T19:57:00.000-08:00

Let The Cat fights Begin

2008-01-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

It is officially skating week. Let the cat fights begin.

Separating "Good" from "Great"

2008-01-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

Watching Friday’s showdown between the University of Florida and the University of Georgia brought me back to the 1991 World Championships that were held in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 1991 Worlds typify what is known as “home court advantage” and the “magic of Karolyi.”

For years, Bela Karolyi was thought of as a gymnastics svengali who turned lazy American kids into competitive machines capable of competing neck-and-neck with the Soviet Sports Machine. Ask any of Karolyi’s former pupils who taught them their skills and you’ll like to hear the names of Rick Newman, Jackie Blake or a former coach from their home gym. Karolyi’s gymnasts weren’t particularly known for competing difficult skills, but they were immensely prepared for every competition.

“Nadia’s success was a combination of Nadia’s desire and intelligence with Bela’s system of preparation,” says Bart Conner, Comaneci’s husband. “What Bela did was develop a conditioning program that was more intense than anywhere else in world.”

Karolyi’s other strength was being a master campaigner and deft politician among the international judges. Florida head coach Rhonda Faehn learned from the best in this area, but she also is influenced by the keen media persona of her collegiate coach, Valorie Kondos Field. The combination of Karolyi and Kondos can be attributed to the successful 2007 season experienced by the Florida gators. Rhonda Faehn’s greatest accomplishment as an NCAA coach last season was not the SEC title, it was masterminding a momentum among the media (and ultimately the judges) that Florida would inevitably be the next university to crack the Georgia-UCLA-Utah-Alabama stronghold and win an NCAA crown. While Karolyi could be seen shouting, towering over judges, and threatening to remove his gymnasts for competitions, Faehn’s meet presence is more comparable to Kondos’ silent, yet confident demeanor. Faehn has also adopted Kondos’ prepared press conference statements about honesty, accountability and buzz words (i.e. calm confidence).

The actual gymnastics performed by Florida does not have the same dynamic quality or theatrical presence characteristic of the Bruins. Unfortunately, Karolyi’s influence pervades when it comes to actual gymnastics. Friday’s meet and the entirety of the 2007 NCAA season proved that Florida is a consistent and well-prepared team. Preparation often equals victories during the regular season while other teams are still counting falls, but it doesn’t usually translate into NCAA victories among powerhouses like Georgia and UCLA. Home scoring, over-scoring and away-scoring don’t matter much when the teams compete head-to-head-to-head in peak form.

When the Soviet gymnasts arrived in Indy for their final world championship as team members, they brought a level of difficulty and sophistication that was light years beyond the Romanian and American teams. Unless the injury bug strikes the Bruins or the Gym Dogs, the Gators will likely be outclassed in the Super Six finals. The NCAA “super teams” will feature rosters with six gymnasts capable of earn 9.9’s on every event.

While Florida’s roster features superb gymnastics from Corey Hartung and Melanie Sinclair, their other gymnasts are far less impressive when compared side-by-side with gymnasts from Utah, Stanford, UCLA, Alabama and Georgia this season. Faehn named Amanda Castillo next to Melanie Sinclair at every available opportunity in 2007. Castillo may be the most noticeable product of political maneuvering from a Karolyi-ite since Betty Okino became synonymous with “international look.” Top international gymnasts used to perform leaps with impeccable form, amplitude and flexibility. Karolyi’s athletes were not known for delivering beam routines with an aesthetic sensibility until Alexander Alexandrov developed Dominique Moceanu as a junior. The Florida Gators (aside from Hartung and Sinclair) do their best to carry on the Karolyi legacy of mundane routine construction, sub-par leaps (that would rack up deductions for teams with less “name” gymnasts) and inflated judging. On one hand, Friday’s judging of the balance beam should shock me. Unfortunately, I was alive to see Kim Zmeskal become champion of the world on the event and know that anything and everything is possible behind the scenes.

Luckily, this argument can be made after Georgia defeated Florida in the “O Dome.” Kudos to Courtney McCool for rocking the rest of her beam routine after the Florida fans cheered when they realized how close the competition was after her fall from the apparatus. Kudos needs to also be given to Faehn for igniting interest and crowd attendance in Gainsville. With four NCAA teams now able to attract 10,000 fans, it is time for USAG to hire Yoculan to deliver an interesting meet atmosphere and attract media interest when she retires in 2009.

While Friday’s meet was billed as No.1 v. No.2, it is UCLA who is likely to keep Yoculan up at night.

The “Super Teams”

Prior to 2002, vault used to separate the good teams from the great teams. Balance Beam will likely be the equalizer in April. Inflating the start value of the Yurchenko Full from 9.9 to 10.0 meant greater parity nation-wide, but it also prompted “Big Four” teams to improve their routine construction and execution. Florida’s routines on the four-inch-wide apparatus are reminiscent of the routines constructed and performed by “Bela’s girls.” Performing the bare minimum (sometimes with a highlight skill for the stars, i.e. Zmeskal’s back pike) usually means staying on the apparatus. Mediocre routine construction is passable when one powerhouse competes, but the restocked Bruins will make April’s NCAA Championships the most competitive event in four years.

While the Gym Dogs have counted falls on balance beam in two of their three meets this year, Yoculan’s competitive personality should drive their “beam team” to greater competitive excellence. The team has the athletes and routine construction to outclass the rest of the SEC.

UGA’s Projected NCAA Beam Line-up:

1. Katie Heenan Heenan served as the anchor for three years, leading the senior to develop a mental toughness when championships and undefeated records were on the line. While her routine is not the flashiest, Heenan’s routine scores well because her skills are performed with amplitude, consistency and solid execution.

2. Nikki Childs WOGA’s most successful NCAA gymnast is demonstrating a keener mental prowess than usual for this early in the season. By April, Childs’ difficult leaps and creativity will stand out among the also-rans attempting to earn a berth in the Super Six finals. Finally rid of her gainer back pike dismount, the routine should keep the momentum going.

3. Tiffany Tolnay As a level 10, Tolnay earn a “perfect 10” on the apparatus. While she has yet to repeat the accomplishment in college, the junior has become more mentally confident since entering the collegiate ranks. Strong competition in the gym keeps Tolnay on her toes. Hilary Mauro, Cassidy McComb and Megan Dowlen are itching for lineup positions, which is a bit of a status symbol for a Georgia gymnast. The 1998 Gym Dogs featured five first-team All-Americans and a second-team honor for squad’s sixth competitor. The 2008 squad features four first-team All-Americans (Childs, Kupets, Taylor and Tolnay), one second-team (Heenan) and Courtney McCool, who earned a 9.95 on the event during 2007’s Super Six finals.

4. Grace Taylor One of the many great leadoff beam workers in Georgia history, moving Taylor from first to fourth in the lineup will allow Taylor to earn the higher scores that she deserves on the event. Her routine construction is among the best in the country, while her execution is among the best in the world (thanks to the horrors that have befallen elite gymnastics).

5.Courtney Kupets Already known for performing extreme difficulty on all events, Kupets’ new mount sequence is something Kupets could’ve competed internationally had Martha Karolyi not insisted that the Americans perform “safe” (aka lame) maneuvers to get on the beam without deductions. By the end of 2008, Kupets’ experience executing the routine will leave USA Gymnastics committing an egregious error if they don’t sweet talk the 2004 Olympian to lending her experience to the 2008 Olympic Team.

Courtney McCool Although she fell on her side somi on Friday night, one needs to give McCool credit for including such a dangerous skill in her exercise. While Martha Karolyi made the mistake of not believing in McCool for the 2004 Olympic Team Finals, Yoculan believes in her enough to develop her into a supreme anchor.

While Yoculan’s press conference statements are often controversial, her team’s gymnastics and her own deftness at lineup selections are not. Once rid of the first meet jitters, expect the Gym Dogs to achieve tremendous success on the apparatus. This lineup should result in strings of 9.9’s on the event and quite possibly, 10’s for Taylor, Kupets and McCool.

UCLA’s roster will feature Tasha and Jordan Schwikert, Anna Li, Kristina Comforte, and a choice between Ashley Jenkins, Melissa Chan, Brittani McCullough, Marcia Bernholtz and Ariana Berlin for the remaining two spots. While Berlin’s steady demeanor has led Kondos to place Berlin in the leadoff role, her execution may not refined enough to make the lineup. While Georgia is hoping the Olympic-year buzz will recreate the Atlanta ’96 magic in Athens this April, the Bruins are hoping to repeat the magic of 2001 when they were able to average a 9.9 on beam to earn the NCAA title.

Melissa Chan’s spectacular performance at the Super Six should warrant her future opportunities on the event. McCullough is likely to earn numerous All-Around victories throughout the preseason, which means she’ll likely compete on beam in April.

While the Bruins were able to get away with watering down their dismounts to back fulls in 2001, the level of gymnastics has evolved too much to get away with a similar tactic seven years later. Aside from Alabama’s win at home in 2002, it has taken immensely sophisticated routines to become NCAA Champions 10 of the last 11 years.

Tasha Schwikert’s greatest strength on beam is her Dominique Dawes-style leaps. Anna Li and Kristina Comforte’s combination of difficulty, execution and experience should translate into high scores. Jordan Schwikert’s solidity as a competitor has come through time after time for the Bruins. It has taken four years to recreate the magic achieved by the Bruins from 1997-2004, but the team is deep, talented, and considered extremely dangerous by head coaches across the nation.

March’s dual meet between UCLA and Georgia is expected to be a fight to death, and both teams are likely to channel the experience into a level of intensity that has been absent over the past few years. Competition brings out the best in both teams, win or lose. Both teams aim to compete their optimal lineups at the meet. (Heenan and Taylor on floor, McCool on bars)

Vault and Floor will need to be at a 49.5 level for a team that hopes to be the nation’s best. With the Yurchenko full still valued at a 10.0, earning high scores will be dependent upon a team having a variety of vaults, explosive height and distance, clean execution, and stuck landings. Florida has shown that they can stick their vaults, but Hartung’s 9.975 for a tucked Yurchenko 1 ½ for a vault with average explosion and a leg separation throughout is unlikely to outscore Kupets’ vault from Friday night in the post season.

Georgia’s vaulting has been a known strength for 25 years.

Doug McGavin breaks down areas of the vault to stress throughout the year, peaking at the NCAA Championships. Although her vault was aesthetically weak on Friday, Paige Burns competed at Stanford and Florida despite undergoing an emergency appendectomy on New Year’s Eve. Burns delivered clutch vaults last April and the team is looking to her for similar performances this season. McComb may also struggle at times during the regular season with her Yurchenko 1 ½, but the tradeoff will be worth it if she’s able to stick in the post season. Georgia’s Yurchenko 1 ½’s by Tolnay and McComb are more explosive and better-executed than those performed by Florida (both Friday and last season). Tolnay’s 1 ½ typically scores 9.95+ when she sticks and 9.875-9.925 when she doesn’t. Newby is vaulting better than she did last season despite having surgery to redo the rod in her leg over the summer. Kupets is sticking her vaults much earlier than she did in 2006 or 2007.

Floor was a weak point for both UCLA and Georgia in 2007, but both teams should outshine the field again. Anna Li is expected to upgrade to a Double Layout and Jordan Schwikert is finally expected to compete her Double Arabian in college. On the Georgia front, Abby Stack’s change from a piked full in to a triple twist should result in much bigger scores in the future. Judges may have expected Stack to perform the same ‘ol on Friday, but word of mouth is known to travel at lightning speeds among NCAA judges. Valorie Kondos Field and Russel Warfield design rousing choreography to package both teams.

Bars has long been the Bruins’ key event, although they may be better on other events this season. Tasha Schwikert and Anna Li delivered back-to-back 9.95’s in 2007 and will anchor the lineup in 2008. Comforte’s well-executed routine should set them up for even higher scores. The first three positions remain open for Melissa Chan, Ashley Jenkins, Marci Bernholtz, Allison Taylor, Jordan Schwikert, Ariana Berlin, and Brittani McCullough to claim.

Georgia’s bar roster is well-positioned for post season success. Childs’ execution and difficulty throughout her exercise should start the team off well. Tolnay and Heenan’s experience and clean execution will set up big scores from Grace Taylor, Courtney McCool and Courtney Kupets.

When the nation gathers to name the top team in collegiate gymnastics, the names may be the same (Georgia, UCLA, Utah, Stanford, Florida and Alabama), but the level of gymnastics will not be. It will take great gymnastics to win in 2008.

Media Darlings

2008-01-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

The One

“All she needs to do is hit this exercise; this should be her championship,” says Elfi Schlegel, NBC’s gymnastics commentator at the 1997 American Cup.

Schlegel was referring to Vanessa Atler, the 15-year-old reigning junior national champion competing in her first international meet as a senior competitor. Atler had filled in for Shannon Miller on Floor Exercise at the 1996 USA vs. The World, a made-for-TV event which aired on FOX the previous September, but this was her first time competing before real senior- international judges.

Despite falling on her first tumbling pass the day before, Atler managed to land the tumbling pass this time. Her only noticeable fault in the exercise was an obvious step out of bounds on her first skill, a double front somersault. The title looked to be Atler’s until Elvire Teza, a 1996 Olympian from France, managed to squeeze out the title by .006, despite questionable landings on her first two tumbling passes.

Earning a silver medal at one’s international debut is a formidable achievement, but Beth Ruyak, NBC’s on-the-floor interviewer, was already asking Atler how it felt to just miss the title.

“I know in your heart, you were wondering if you could win it,” said Ruyak to the gymnastics rookie.

The United States had just earned the Team Gold Medal at the 1996 Olympics and the media was quick to anoint Atler as ‘the one’. Unfortunately for Atler, .006 made the difference between earning the crown and ending a sixteen-year-streak of American dominance at the American Cup, the most prestigious gymnastics event held annually in the United States.

Losing the cup did not hurt Atler’s popularity in the least. Earlier in the broadcast, Ruyak presented a glowing profile on the California native, introducing her as an ‘All-American girl’, showing her writing her online diary for her official website, discussing her grades while riding to the gym with her parents, and answering fan mail.

Never one to avoid the saccharine, Ruyak included Atler talking about her recently deceased grandfather’s birthday occurring right before the meet.

“When you told me you’d be there watching me in Sydney, I didn’t realize it would be in spirit. Happy birthday Grandpa, you always told me I’d be on the greatest gymnasts,” wrote Atler to her online readers.

“Isn’t she charming?’ interjected Ruyak at the piece’s conclusion.

A love affair was born.

The ‘It Factor’

Kristie Phillips can relate to Atler. Phillips was featured on a September 1986 cover of Sports Illustrated that touted her as ‘The New Mary Lou.’ Phillips had yet to compete at a senior national championship.

Phillips’ star grew over the next 16 months; she had a sparking personality, a famous Romanian coach [Bela Karolyi] and a unique flexibility move on the balance beam, a back bend where she bent and then flexed her back to the amazement of judges and fans alike.

Johnny Carson featured her on his talk show in 1987. Journalists clamored Karolyi’s Houston training center to get a glimpse of her. The media machine waited for Phillips to continue where Mary Lou Retton left off at the 1984 Olympics.

“I actually toured in ’84 with the ’84 team,” remembers Phillips. “I was at Bela’s then and that’s when my crowd appeal started. I just have an energy and a presence that people want to watch when I’m on the floor or on the beam. I was a born entertainer.”

Sheryl Shade, who began representing Atler in 1997, found her client to possess equally appealing qualities.

“It is the personality; it is the smile,” says Shade, who is President of Shade Global, a New York based athlete-marketing agency. “You can’t take things too seriously. Everyone felt comfortable with her. She lit up a room with her personality. There was a confidence with her, but there wasn’t arrogance.”

Shade was acutely aware of the unique level of media interest in Atler and advised her to go professional in order to capitalize on the opportunities readily available to her.

Turning professional meant Atler was giving up her ability to earn a scholarship on an NCAA gymnastics team. It wasn’t a very difficult decision to make in the summer of 1997; Atler tied for the top prize at the 1997 National Gymnastics Championships and needing something to be excited about after being ineligible to compete at that year’s World Championships due to gymnastics’ international governing body’s new policy that required an athlete to become 16 years old in order to participate in a World Championships or Olympic Games. Atler had already been six weeks too young to compete in the 1996 Olympics and was now missing out yet again.

Though she watched Worlds on television, Atler involved herself with a series of interesting projects. Atler and her training mate, Jamie Dantzscher, worked as stunt doubles for the Lifetime movie, Little Girls In Pretty Boxes, which aired later that year. There was an international competition in Australia and new skills to perfect. Soon, Atler flipped across a balance beam, showing exactly how she ate a Reese’s. Multiple media appearances and a commercial for the USOC followed.

Atler and Phillips are two examples of “the one”, an individual chosen by a marketing machine that is consistently churning out advertising personality products.

No singular individual is to blame for “the one” phenomenon. Coach Bela Karolyi picks athletes to be “the one”, but newspaper editors, television directors, marketing executives, columnists, agents, stage-parents, and zealous athletes all look for the next “one”. Those who bear the distinction reap the rewards (financial, score-wise, attention, et al) and suffer the consequences of pressure and false concept when the dream of being “the one” turns into a nightmare.

Agents

Agents are as common in elite sports as coaches. Nastia Liukin, Chellsie Memmel, Shawn Johnson, Jana Bieger and Alicia Sacramone have all signed with agencies in order to participate in the unique opportunities available to them in the lead-up to the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Liukin, daughter of former soviet gymnastics legends Valeri Liukin and Anna Kotchneva, is the biggest name in international gymnastics. Her long bodyline and inherent grace reminds viewers of Svetlana Khorkina, the Russian ‘Queen of Gymnastics’ who passed the torch to Liukin after the 2004 Olympics.

Khorkina, who many feel was robbed of the 2000 Olympic All-Around title when the vault was set at an incorrect height, finished a close second to Carly Patterson, who trained alongside Liukin at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Plano, TX, one of three gyms owned by Liukin’s parents.

Patterson appeared effervescent on NBC’s broadcast of the 2003 Worlds. She jokingly uttered an “Oh, that’s too bad,” as a fall by a Romanian cemented the team’s victory. Her personality was perfect, but Patterson clammed up in her post-Olympic interviews and her biggest endorsement deal wound up being Tyson chicken.

Patterson trained with Liukin, who now benefits from watching the dedication it took to be a star and the mistakes one can make when overwhelmed. One shouldn’t expect Liukin to instantly jump towards an acting career the way Patterson announced her intentions to become a singer shortly after earning Olympic gold. Nastia Liukin’s agent is experienced—already announcing her intention to compete until 2012 in order to avoid any Patterson-style advertising blunders.

Evan Morganstein, Liukin’s agent from the Premier Marketing Group, anticipates cashing in big when the Olympics are aired live from Beijing on NBC. Liukin reportedly earns seven figures a year, but her unique personality, looks and style figure to net PMG substantial paychecks in the future. The women’s team final may prove to be the closest Olympic team competition since the USA-USSR hockey match in Lake Placid. Morganstein expects his client to dominate the games.

“She is already tied with Shannon [Miller] for the most World Championship medals,” says the president of PMG. “It’s very realistic. You can come and have success as a one-off, or you can compete over a long period of time. “Gymnastics is a subjective sport. When you’ve had success over a number of years like Nastia has, the judges get what you’re doing and like it.”

Liukin recently added gold medals from the team and balance beam events at the 2007 World Gymnastics Championships, along with silver on the uneven bars. The two-time national All-Around champion likely would’ve passed Miller’s world medal haul, if her training hadn’t been hampered for the past year by a harrowing ankle injury.

Viewers may not know Liukin yet, but the fierce competitor will likely be everywhere in the coming months.

“She has a substantial relationship with AT&T; she has the only signature line of AAI gymnastics equipment, including a starter beam and gymnastics mat, all of which she helped create,” tours Morganstein. “Nastia has a global relationship with VISA, which may result in a global TV campaign. It is to be determined at this point. We have a relationship with a head writer at a magazine to write her autobiography if it makes sense.”

Morganstein does not expect Liukin’s corporate contracts to disrupt her training.

“We are not doing a ton of endorsements right before the Olympics. We did deals with industry leaders six months ago so she wouldn’t have eight sponsorships to interrupt her focus on her success.”

What’s At Stake? (Side-bar)

Members of the 1996 Women’s Gymnastics Team earned more than $300,000 each for their participation in a post-Olympic tour. In addition, the golden girls signed a group book deal, participated in made-for-TV competitions, and each fulfilled contracts of their own.

The Magnificent Seven’s male counterparts earned $100,000 each for appearing in the 1996 tour.

USA Gymnastics corporate sponsor pays Paul Hamm $20,000 a year for winning the 2004 Olympic All-Around title. With the contract expiring in 2008, Hamm is back for more glory after being absent from competition for the last three years.

The lead-up to Olympic glory is also lucrative.

Atler earned $10,000 for flipping across a balance beam and proclaiming to the world how she likes to eat a Reese’s. Patterson was featured in commercials for VISA and her picture was used on McDonald’s bags across the United States during the lead-up to Athens.

Dominique Moceanu scored a book deal in 1995 after becoming the youngest-national-champion in history. Media and marketer’s jumped on Karolyi’s Romanian-American protégé who was labeled part Nadia, part Mary Lou. Annie Leibovitz photographed her for Vanity Fair, clothing lines developed deals with her and agents signed her at the age of 10.

Moceanu later emancipated herself from her parents after her father emptied her $4.5 million trust fund to build a training center to keep cashing in on her success.

Talent as the Ultimate Curse

With great promise comes great expectations. Realizations of that promise in magazines and commercials only add to the burden.

Atler’s dazzling abilities on vault, balance beam and floor exercise came with one hitch: the uneven bars provided her a mental block.

Time after time, Atler performed with near perfection on three events, only to crash on the bars, often on the same skill.

Nadia Comaneci earned a perfect 10.0 with her ‘Comaneci’ salto, a move where she released from the bar, flipped forward in the straddle position, and then re-grabbed.

“I actually asked my coach to teach it to me after watching old videos of Nadia,” remembers Atler, whose failings with the skill caused her to lose countless titles.

NBC picked up on the trend and built its storylines around the obvious drama.

“If she’s ever going to be Olympic Champion, she’s going to have to get her confidence back and conquer the uneven bars,” announced Ruyak during the 1999 American Cup.

To Ruyak’s chagrin, Atler went as far as to refer to uneven bars as ‘the devil’ in her online diary. Atler’s coach, Steve Ryabcki, remained determined to prove that she could complete the skill. His insistence lasted three years and resulted in a nationally-televised explosion at the 1999 Nationals. Even though NBC muted most of Rybaki’s comments, the damage was done.

“Steve cursed me out at the meet and then refused to talk to me for days,” says Atler. “To his credit, it was the only time he ever did anything like that. Unfortunately, I was devastated. I was the perfect student and worked so hard for them for so long, but still got screamed at.”

Bela Karolyi sensed Atler might quit the sport and phoned her agent, Sheryl Shade, immediately. Karolyi, Shade and Atler’s mother, Nanette, met several times throughout the championship to discuss Karolyi coming out of retirement to coach Atler. This was unprecedented; Karolyi had refused a substantial salary from Dimitru Moceanu to continue coaching Dominique following the Atlanta Games. With their plan in place, Atler promptly left the Rybakis.

It was not to be.

“We couldn’t get in touch with Bela for weeks,” recalls Atler. “I got a call from the women’s elite program director, Kathy Kelly, who told me that Bela didn’t want me and had never agreed to coach me.”

Shade received a similar call from then-USA Gymnastics President Bob Collarassi.

“I was told by Bob Collarassi that Bela Karolyi would not be coaching Vanessa,” says Shade, whose heart still breaks eight years later. “Bela [Karolyi] wanted to coach Vanessa. He contacted me at the 1999 Nationals and we met there several times about the arrangement. Mrs. Atler, Bela and I went to dinner and discussed it. It was USAG. They had purse strings with Bela. We never heard what happened, but USAG made it not happen. We will never know what happened exactly, but Bela felt so bad that he got her [Vanessa] set up to train with Valeri Liukin. He was an up and coming coach and he felt she should train there.” [with Liukin]

USAG named Karolyi its National Team Coordinator and assigned him the task of rallying the USA women’s team after disappointing sixth-place finishes at the 1997 and 1999 Worlds.

How Much Can Go Wrong In A Year?

Kristie Phillips and Vanessa Atler share similar tales; pressure, injuries and coaching changes all contributed to spectacular downfalls for both athletes.

Phillips’ wrist bugged her in late 1987, as she struggled with burn out at the most inopportune time. Phillips left home at eight-years-old to chase her Olympic dream. Terri Phillips, Kristie’s mom, realized drastic change was necessary and packed up the family’s van [adorned with a mural of Kristie] and headed to a gym in California. The new gym failed to provide Phillips with the same intensity; puberty and weight gain were postponed by Karolyi’s 40-plus hour work weeks, but they soon caused Phillips to struggle through the routines that made her a star.

Weeks before the 1988 Nationals, Phillips returned to Karolyi and was placed on a crash diet of tuna, boiled eggs and water. She almost pulled it off, but missed making the Olympic team by thousandths of a point.

Phillips’ was named the 2^nd alternate and continued training with the Olympic Team. Phillips’ improved and surpassed five teammates at a pre-Olympic dual meet only to be asked to be return home in order to avoid a sticky situation.

Terri Phillips comforted Kristie in private; Vanessa Atler was not as lucky.

Atler and Shade signed numerous endorsement deals a year out from Sydney, when Atler was ranked 2^nd in the country after the 1999 Nationals. There would be a book deal with Disney, trips to Disneyland with fans, and an appearance on the Wheaties box in the lead-up to Sydney. Her case was so unique that a medal wasn’t required; the plans were only contingent on Atler being named to the Olympic team, a virtual no-brainer.

The 1999 World Championships, an international event she waited three years for, did not go as planned.

“I didn’t have a coach going into Worlds,” says Atler. “I gained a few pounds, which caused my ankle injury to flare.”

The injury occurred at the 1999 French International, where Atler landed out of bounds on a floor exercise mat that failed to meet regulations. Landing on wood instead of padding, Atler’s left ankle chipped off pieces of bone. A USAG doctor misdiagnosed it as a sprain, but x-rays after the World Championships required two surgeries to remove the bone chips.

“When I arrived in Texas after worlds, Bela picked me up at the airport,” recalls Atler. “He saw me on crutches and was pissed that I had surgery.”

New coach Valeri Liukin was equally upset, especially when Atler gained four pounds during her recovery. Liukin’s gym weighs its gymnasts three times per day; the coach instructed his athlete not to drink water.

“I am the type of person who eats when I’m stressed,” admits Atler. “Valeri had his wife take me to a sauna for a half-hour after each work out. I became bulimic and binged for comfort. My weight kept going up and down, and my conditioning suffered.”

For a time, the coaching situation appeared to be working. Atler won the competition held at the June 2000 Olympic Training Camp at Karolyi’s ranch and followed with a victory at the U.S. Classic, the precursor to the Nationals.

With the Olympic Trials approaching, Atler’s older brother, Teddy, joined his sister and mother in Plano, TX and sensed something was seriously wrong.

“Teddy started hugging me and we just broke down,” remembers Atler, who points out how bloated she appeared that summer.

Valeri Liukin designed a new bar routine for Atler, which she hit for a time. A disastrous performance at Nationals resulted in a fourth place finish in the All-Around, her lowest ever.

Karolyi sensed Atler’s difficulties weeks later at trials and pulled her aside.

“Bela took me into a tunnel and told me that I shouldn’t worry, he’d put me on the team no matter what,” says Atler. “Was it fair? Probably not, but he told me that this is why they were having a committee select the team instead of relying on results.”

Night one of trials proved disastrous. Atler’s up-and-down weight led to a lack of conditioning, which hindered her performances. Slight errors crept in, but disaster loomed. With Karolyi watching feet away, her foot slipped on her beam dismount and resulted in a fall that could’ve caused paralysis.

Following the competition, Karolyi phoned Atler.

“Bela called me at the hotel and told me the committee didn’t want me on the team anymore. His hands were tied; they didn’t want me.”

Nanette Atler suggested Vanessa give it her best shot on night two, but the deflation was obvious.

In addition to her own struggles, Atler witnessed her old training mate, Jamie Dantzscher, performing to her signature floor exercise music at the trials, along with her hallmark opening tumbling pass.

“The Rybakis were hurt and I know they joked with Jamie about how great it would be to do it.”

NBC’s coverage of night one aired the day between prelims and finals. The coverage included a fluff piece on the Atler-Rybacki-Dantzscher situation.

“I went along with my mom’s plan of being P.C. and saying that they’re not bad people and I still love them, but Beth and Steve were honest when interviewed. I remember hearing Steve talk about how they could sense that I wasn’t okay and just bursting into tears. I would’ve given anything to apologize and go back at that point.”

Emotionally spent, Atler had no fight to draw upon on the final night of the Olympic Trials. After making mistakes on all four events, Atler sat amongst the other hopefuls, waiting for the axe to fall.

Live, on national TV, the clock ticked as the selection committee met behind closed doors. While many had performed successfully, NBC’s camera crews remained fixated on Atler.

“They just stayed there, waiting for me to cry,” remembers Atler.

She didn’t give them the satisfaction, but it didn’t ease the pain of not making it. Dantzscher and the Rybackis celebrated feet away, while the former protégé waited for the hell to end.

“Valeri came up to me the second the cameras went off and told me I didn’t make it because I was fat. He can be a great coach, unless you embarrass him. There was a lot of pressure on him and he’s one of the most competitive people I’ve ever met.”

Shade got Atler on the next flight home to avoid the press, while her parents emptied the condo in Texas.

Reflecting

Christine Brennan, USA Today’s Olympic columnist, makes no apologies for the media’s treatment of athletes.

“If they [the athletes] step off the sidewalk and join the parade, as Tara Lipinski did at a young age or Sasha Cohen, then they will be examined differently in the National Spotlight than if they had remained on the sidewalk. The choice is made by the parents and the child, and if they are big time players on the National stage, then they are going to get the scrutiny that goes along with that. I have no apologies there; that’s what we do. I don’t want to tear them down. It would be wonderful to continue talking about them in good ways, but if Sasha Cohen can’t do a clean short and long program, as much as I love Sasha, I have to point that out. It is my job and I will continue to do that, as I’m sure will most other journalists.”

While Brennan is referring to figure skating media coverage, Olympic analysts such as Brennan shift gears once every four years to cover gymnastics—the figure skating of the summer games.

Atler no longer blames the media for her personal troubles. She appeared on the Reality Series Starting Over in 2005 and now is the head coach of a gym in California. Steve Rybacki now mentors Atler and serves as a member of the three-person elite selection committee.

“I realize that the media has a job to do,” says Atler. “Watching the drama surrounding Kim Zmeskal is the reason I wanted to be an elite gymnast in the first place.”

Phillips, who now judges at National competitions, concurs.

I’m extremely ecstatic in what happened and they way it did. I’m a better, stronger person for it.”

Moving Forward

Shade represents Chellsie Memmel, Shawn Johnson and Morgan and Paul Hamm, all of whom are expected to represent the USA in Beijing.

“I want it to be a great competition. I think it will. Let’s just hope the athletes will acclimate to the time. They will; they’re professionals. The athletes will arrive with enough time to adjust properly.”

As for whom the next media darling will be?

“It all depends on what the climate of the world is next summer. It depends on who is the girl that the media is watching. There is no set formula. Anything can happen in gymnastics; that is what makes it exciting.”

Recent success by USA Gymnastics as the 2007 World Championships left with USA Gymnastics puzzled over who to anoint the next “one”. There were too many riches. Nastia Liukin and Alicia Sacramone own numerous gold medals from world championship competition; Shawn Johnson earned the 2007 World All-Around title, and Sam Peszek and Shayla Worley ooze charisma.

The solution: members of the 2007 gold medal team from the World Championships are now referred to as “The Super Six.” They’ve been featured on the Today Show, are shown shopping on AT&T’s website and are recognized by NBC as a proven commodity for when their Olympic coverage rolls around.

Perhaps it’s a good thing that six girls will bear the burden of being “the one.” While the riches may not be quite the same, will it be better for these girls to share the burden rather than do it alone?

Olympic Team Outlook- USA Women's Gymnastics

2008-01-15T14:34:00.000-08:00

206 days remain until the start of the 2008 Olympic Games. As the US team looks to upset China’s quest to rule the medal count, attention is shifting to Michael Phelps and the women’s gymnastics team. While Phelps’ chances can be measured against times recorded around the world, gymnastics success will be determined by the team that’s selected by Martha Karolyi and the selection committee.

Entering the games as reigning world champions, one would expect an easy road to victory. Unfortunately, although the US women dominated the world from 2002-2004, they lost the gold in Athens due to administrative errors made at the games, due to the politics of the final selection camp, inconsistent judging of routines at the 2004 National Championships, and motivational tactics at the monthly training camps.Team members were assured that the US had ‘three teams that could go and win the gold,” which was a tactic used to pressure the girls into complying with the demands of the National Team Staff. The 2004 squad ultimately lacked prowess and depth, which was all too apparent when Courtney Kupets’ hip flared up before team finals. Similar to the impression in 2004, the 2008 squad is considered the premier world power, but China is a much more dangerous threat than the Romanians were in Athens.

With six months until Olympic trials, it is unlikely that an unknown gymnast will find her way onto the Olympic squad. The 6-3-3 format (six gymnasts per team, three gymnasts per event, three scores count) leaves no margin for error, so it is imperative that the six selected are mental giants. At the 1999 World Championships in Tianjin, China gymnasts competing with the Chinese women for the bronze medal were subjected to booing, banging gongs, a smog-filled arena and overt hostility. With gold on the line, one shouldn’t expect the Chinese crowd to be any nicer this August. Added pressure is likely to come for agents, as gymnastics and swimming will be broadcast live, in prime time on NBC. Highly-anticipated events are almost assured to be subjected to increased media exposure, which could ignite new interest and higher ratings for the summer games.

While the USA does not have enough depth to field three golden teams, several gymnasts offer compelling reasons to be named to the squad.

Shawn Johnson.

The reigning World, American Cup, Pan American and National all-around champion is a virtual lock for the squad (should she remain healthy). Johnson’s planned upgrades (Amanar on vault, Tkatchev on Uneven Bars, Front Pike on Balance Beam, and Whip+ Triple Twist on Floor Exercise) should keep her competitive for the Olympic All-Around crown. Her experience, reputation and scoring potential are assets to the team. Training just 4 ½ hours a day could keep Johnson healthy enough to maintain her world status. While the fifteen-year-old Johnson may be months away from puberty, she should be able to beat the dreaded beast if her confidence, desire and work ethic remain intact.

Next Competition: 2008 American Cup

Experience:
2007 Worlds: 14 routines (Prelims, Team Finals, All-Around and Event Finals)
2007 Pan American Games (Team, All-Around and Event Finals)
2007 American Cup (Prelims and Finals)
2007 USA vs. Great Britain
2006 Junior Pan American Games
2006 Gymnix International (Junior Division)
2006 Pacific Alliance Championships (Junior Division)
2006 USA vs. Japan vs. New Zealand (Junior Division)
2005 Top Gym International

Johnson will likely compete on Vault, Balance Beam and Floor Exercise in Team Finals. Shawn is solid on Uneven Bars, but the US will be in much better shape to defeat the Chinese if three natural bar workers are named to the team and score well during prelims.

Nastia Liukin.

The Olympic year has finally arrived for the nine-time world medalist. Liukin has weathered the spotlight since 2000 and and demonstrated formidable mental toughness along the way. Unmatched prowess on the Uneven Bars in America (and arguably in the world) is reason enough to name her to the squad. Hampered by injuries during the past two seasons, Liukin should be hungrier than ever to dominate the world. Nastia is a fiery competitor who accepts nothing less from herself than gold and perfection. Already a serious contender for three gold medals (Team, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam), Liukin and her father are determined to earn All-Around glory. Both Valeri and Nastia have suffered narrow losses in the All-Around, (Valeri at the 1988 Olympics and 1991 World Championships, Nastia at the 2005 World Championships) and their shared experiences could enable them to balance the urge for upgrades with enough pacing to keep nagging ankle and back injuries at bay.

Next Competition: 2008 American Cup

Experience:

2007 World Championships: 12 routines (Prelims, Team Finals, All-Around, EF)
2006 World Championships: 3 routines (Prelims, Team Finals, EF)
2005 World Championships: 11 routines (Prelims, All-Around, EF)

Liukin is 24/26 at the World Championships and a four-time World Champion (2005 Uneven Bars and Balance Beam, 2007 Team and Balance Beam)

Additional Experience:

2007 Pan American Games (Team and EF)
2006 American Cup (Prelims and Finals)
2006 Pacific Alliance Championships
2005 American Cup (Prelims and Finals)
2005 USA vs. Great Britain
2005 USA vs. Switzerland
2004 Pacific Alliance Championships (Junior Division)
2003 Pan American Games (Team, All-Around and Event Finals)
2002 USA vs. Canada
2002 Junior Pan American Games
2002 USA vs. Japan (Junior Division)

Liukin should earn high scores on the Uneven Bars and Balance Beam in team finals, which should offset high marks from Cheng Fei on Vault and Floor Exercise. Liukin could compete on Floor Exercise if healthy and able to upgrade her A score.

Alicia Sacramone.

Martha Karolyi and the National Team Staff have written her off countless times, but they are proven otherwise again and again by the USA’s team captain. Sacramone is the pulse of the American team and is looked-upon as the team leader. Her impromptu team huddle at the 2007 Worlds refocused and reinvigorated the Americans after Johnson and Liukin suffered uncharacteristic falls on balance beam. Consistently one of the best in the world on Vault and Floor Exercise, Sacramone has nailed balance beam during the last two team finals at Worlds.

Experience:

2007 World Championships: 8 routines (Prelims, Team Finals, EF)
2006 World Championships: 7 routines (Prelims, Team Finals, EF)
2005 World Championships: 5 routines (Prelims, EF)

Additional Experience:

2006 World Cup- Ghent, Belgium
2005 Pan American Games
2005 World Cup-Paris, France
2005 World Cup-Ghent, Belgium
2005 USA vs. Great Britain
2005 American Cup (Prelims and Finals)
2004 World Cup Finals
2004 World Cup-Ghent, Belgium
2004 Individual Pan American Games
2004 Pacific Alliance Championships
2003 Trophee Masilla
2002 USA vs. Japan (Junior Division)

Sacramone is needed for high scores on Vault and Floor Exercise in Team Finals and will likely be used on Balance Beam unless Shayla Worley’s consistency and upgrades make her a definitive top three performer.

Shayla Worley

Already a contributing member of the 2007 World Team, Worley’s list of planned upgrades could make her a formidable challenger for the Olympic All-Around crown. If her DTY is as stylish as the rest of her gymnastics, Worley may find herself vaulting in team finals. This is bad news for Sam Peszek and Amber Trani, whose comparative advantage will be significantly weakened. Shayla is one on Martha Karolyi’s favorites and the National Team Staff has invested a great deal in the charismatic performer. With enough international assignments in 2008, Worley could be an A-list competitor in Beijing. Being assigned to the 2008 American Cup bodes well for Worley’s Olympic chances.

Next Competition: 2008 American Cup

Experience:

2007 World Championships: 6 routines (Prelims, Team Finals)

Additional Experience:

2007 American Cup (Prelims)
2007 USA vs. Great Britain
2006 Pacific Alliance Championships
2006 American Cup (Prelims and Finals)
2005 Trophee Masilla
2005 USA vs. Switzerland
2005 USA vs. Great Britain
2005 International Team Challenge
2004 Pacific Alliance Championships (Junior Division)
2004 USA vs. Canada (Junior Division)
2004 USA vs. Japan (Junior Division)

Worley should see action on the Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise in Team Finals, with Vault and Balance Beam being strong possibilities as well.

Chellsie Memmel

One of the most experienced members on the squad, Chellsie Memmel needs to upgrade, improve her form, and remain healthy to be named to the team. Nastia Liukin’s repeated insistence of team chemistry being the key to the team’s victory at 2007 World Championships was likely aimed at Memmel. The two are known rivals, as are their fathers. Chellsie and Andy Memmel stood apart from the rest of the national team at the 2007 U.S. Classic, which does help her case to be a team leader. Her chronic shoulder problems could prevent Memmel from achieving a competitive advantage on the Uneven Bars, her key to being named to the squad. The USA is deep enough on Balance Beam and Floor Exercise to leave the 2005 World All-Around Champion at home. Memmel’s recent comeback performances weren’t overwhelmingly impressive, but one should never count her out of the Olympic mix. While she is capable of a DTY, her form has never been impressive on the vault. Her experience in pressure situations is an asset that cannot be ignored by the selection committee.

Next Competition: T.B.A.

Experience:

2006 World Championships: 8 routines (Prelims, Team Finals)
2005 World Championships: 10 routines (Prelims, All-Around, Event Finals)
2003 World Championships: 14 routines (Prelims, Team Finals, All-Around, Event Finals)

Additional Experience:

2007 Olympic Test Event
2007 Toyota Cup
2006 Pacific Alliance Championships
2005 Pan American Games
2005 USA vs. Great Britain
2005 USA vs. Switzerland
2005 American Cup (Prelims and Finals)
2004 World Cup Final
2004 Individual Pan American Games
2004 Olympic Alternate
2004 American Cup
2003 Pan American Games
2003 Pacific Challenge
2002 International Competition in Brazil
2002 Pacific Alliance Championships (Junior Division)
2002 USA vs. Belgium
2000 USA vs. France
2000 Puerto Rico Cup

Memmel is capable of contributing on all four apparatus during team finals. After injuring her shoulder on the uneven finals during the 2006 World Championship Team Finals, Memmel was able to save the team a fall off the balance beam by managing to hang on with one foot. She then stuck all five of her tumbling passes to secure the team’s silver medal.

Jana Bieger

A poor showing at Nationals left the three-time world silver medalist off of the 2007 World Team, but Jana Bieger’s strength on all four events makes her an attractive candidate. If her full twisting double layout on floor is ready, Bieger could easily find herself competing on Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise in team finals. Her experience is noteworthy, but like Memmel, Bieger’s form leaves something to be desired.

Experience:

2006 World Championships: 14 routines (Prelims, Team Finals, All-Around, EF)
2005 World Championships: 1 routine

Additional Experience:

2006 World Cup- Stuttgart, Germany
2006 Pacific Alliance Championships
2006 World Cup- Cottbus, Germany
2005 Pam American Games
2005 USA vs. Great Britain
2005 USA vs. Switzerland
2004 International Competition in Mexico
2004 Pacific Alliance Championships (Junior Division)

Ashley Preiss

CGA’s Olympic hopeful earned valuable experience when she was called-upon to replaced Chellsie Memmel in the 2006 World All-Around Finals. A fall on floor exercise dropped her out of the medals, but the experience competing in a World All-Around Final is something only Nastia Liukin, Chellsie Memmel, Jana Bieger, Ashley Preiss and Shawn Johnson are familiar with. Although she missed the 2007 National Championships with a back injury, Preiss has been healthy and training full speed for the last two months. Mary Lee Tracy has named 3 team members and 1 alternate to Olympic Squads and compares Preiss’ personality with Amanda Borden. Tracy’s experience is an invaluable asset to Preiss’ Olympic bid, as is her deftness on the Uneven Bars. Preiss is a bubbly team player who is capable of performing on all four events in Team Prelims and could score considerably higher than Shawn Johnson on bars. Strength on bars, an effervescent personality, a consistent competitive record, and upgraded routines could be the right mix of ingredients for Martha to name her to the squad.

Experience:

2006 World Championships: 8 routines (Team Prelims, All-Around Finals)

Additional Experience:

2007 Houston International
2006 World Cup- Ghent, Belgium
2006 World Cup- Lyon, France
2005 Trophee Masilla
2005 USA vs. Great Britain
2005 USA vs. Switzerland
2004 Pacific Alliance Championships (Junior Division)
2003 USA vs. Japan (Junior Division)
2002 USA vs. Japan (Junior Division)

Preiss’ consistent reputation keeps her in favor with Martha Karolyi. Preiss is expected to compete at the Pacific Alliance Selection Camp and is likely to be given the opportunity for international exposure. Her consistency will come in handy during the marathon selection procedure.

Bridget Sloan

Impressive performances throughout 2007 leave fans feeling as though Sloan should’ve competed at the 2007 Worlds over Ivana Hong. If she can upgrade and remain healthy and consistent, Sloan will be seriously considered by Martha. While there are limited spots available for the Pacific Alliance Team, Sloan could benefit from being sent to Gymnix and/or a World Cup event this spring.

Experience:

2007 World Championships Alternate
2007 Olympic Test Event
2007 Toyota Cup
2007 Houston International
2007 USA vs. Great Britain
2006 Gymnix

Sloan’s recent performances scored higher than Chellsie Memmel and much higher than anything achieved by Hong in Stuttgart.

Sam Peszek

Peszek’s biggest assets for being named to the team are a powerful DTY, upbeat personality, and significant political favor with her mother being a USAG employee since the pre-Mag 7 days. Unfortunately, Peszek is average on the other three events and may be better suited for NCAA competition. Peszek failed to impress internationally when given international assignments in 2007 and was inconsistent at best.

Experience:

2007 Worlds: 4 routines
2007 Pan American Games
2007 American Cup (Prelims)
2007 USA vs. Great Britain
2006 Junior Pan American Games
2006 Gymnix
2005 International Competition in Mexico
2004 USA vs. Canada (Junior Division)

Ivana Hong

Failing to earn a score in the 15’s at the 2007 World Championships does not help Hong’s Olympic Bid. Like former teammate Courtney McCool at the 2004 Olympics, Hong was left off the team finals roster at Worlds. While she showed a spectacular DTY on day 1 of nationals, she was inconsistent on Day 2 and didn’t make the vault lineup at Worlds. Suspected to be more injured than was realized last season, Hong may have difficulty upgrading, healing, and getting consistent in time for Olympic Trials. While she performs intricate German giants into a tkatchev on bars, Hong’s B-score was typically in the low 8’s all year.

Experience:

2007 World Championships: 2 routines (Team Prelims)
2007 Pan American Games
2007 Houston International
2007 USA vs. Great Britain
2006 USA vs. Japan vs. New Zealand (Junior Division)
2005 Top Gym International

Hong’s international success may have to wait until 2009.

Shantessa Pama

Hong’s former training partner may have limited international experience, but Pama is rumored to have upgraded all events. Resting 2007 may have been a smart decision by her coaches, because Pama is rumored to have impressed Bela Karolyi at the recent non-national team training camp. It has been speculated that Pama is adding a DTY on vault and Patterson dismount off balance beam. Should Pama seek an Olympic Team berth, being assigned to the 2008 Pacific Alliance Championships and/or World Cup competition is imperative in order to gain experience. Pama scored well under the new code at the 2006 Pacific Alliance Championships and the 2006 Gymnix International, and could contribute on any of the four apparatus in team finals. Youthful energy and an international look good be just the right assets for being named to an Olympic Team; it certainly worked for Michelle Campi.

Amber Trani and Geralen Stack-Eaton

The Parkettes have never been favored politically and 2007 was no exception. Trani and Stack-Eaton were both passed over for the world team despite performing well all year. Things are likely to be far worse for the Parkettes in 2008 after Jennifer Sey’s explosive well-written memoir hits book shelves on May 1^st. Harper Collins is launching an extensive promotion tour, which should see Sey making countless radio and television appearances. CNN still shows 2003’s “Pursuing the Perfect Ten” from time to time and is likely to air it again once Sey’s book is released.

Courtney Kupets and Ashley Postell

Less we repeat the mistakes of 2004, Martha Karolyi should keep all doors open for Kupets and Postell to return to elite competition. Although she says she won’t try, Kupets is in fantastic shape and has upgraded bars, beam and floor. Prior to her announcement, Kupets was training routines with 7+ A-scores on bars and beam that were designed by Kelli Hill. If NCAAs are successful, don’t be shocked if either makes a late bid. Kupets would only have to add her toe on+ tkatchev to her NCAA bar routine. Her bid is more likely than Postell’s because of her long history of good favor with USAG, her mental toughness, competitive consistency, leadership, and prowess on the Uneven Bars—USA’s weakest event. Both girls are hesitant to try, which is likely due to wariness about their political standing with USAG. Sacramone was discouraged from competing in the NCAA and the national team staff is unlikely to name two team members who have forgone the traditional camp system. Kupets’ bid was curtailed after she was unable to secure an academic waiver for a lightened course load. In 2004, Kate Richardson benefited from UCLA’s quarter system, which allowed her to withdraw from her courses after the NCAA Championships.