Chellsie Memmel told International Gymnast that she is giving the Olympics on more try. Memmel just had a second surgery on her shoulder since the National Championships. It will be difficult for her to recover, get into shape and upgrade her bar routine in time for Olympic Trials, but we know that Memmel will rip her body apart and still do a hindorff+pak salto when the cameras are rolling this summer. It is unlikely that we will see the 2008 Olympians compete before the American and Cover Girl Classics this summer, but we know the five returning veterans will prove to make this summer drama-filled and full of speculation. Memmel plans to attend college after her final Olympic bid.
Obviously we need a bar worker like nobody's business. I guess it's between her and Nastia at this point for a spot as a bar specialist?
ReplyDeleteThis girl doesn't know when to stop. When she is 40 and can barely move because of the hell she put her body through she is going to regret this. She isn't a good enough bar worker to take based on that alone.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with you, but on the other hand, beggars can't be choosers. How many other bar specialists do we have?? It's slim pickings in the USA. Or do you think they won't take a bar specialist?
ReplyDeleteI agree, with the 2nd post. In May I dislocated my arm and broke the top knob of the humerus bone off. My arm is still not fully recovered. I think when she gets old she might regret it. Even if she works hard, tries and fails...was it worth it? Only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteThe US don't necessarily need a bars specialist as such. The lineup could easily be Wieber, Bross and Douglas, all doing several events at least in prelims. If you add perhaps Raisman and Maroney, that lineup won't be easy to beat:
ReplyDeleteVT- Raisman, Wieber, Maroney (unbeatable)
UB- Wieber, Douglas, Bross
BB- Raisman, Wieber, Bross
FX- Maroney, Wieber, Raisman
On the the other hand, there might also be room for both Liukin and Memmel, if they were good enough.
VT- Raisman, Wieber, Maroney
UB- Wieber, Memmel, Liukin
BB- Raisman, Liukin, Wieber
FX- Maroney, Wieber, Raisman
This could also be a very strong team.
You're rather confident in Raisman's Amanar. I've seen her training it within the past couple of weeks and I do not share your level of optimism. She was struggling with it on resi....still. American Cup is going to be a huge test for her.
DeleteMarch 3, post AmCup: Done and done.
DeleteApparently, I stand corrected on Raisman's Amanar. Stoi!, could very well have THE team listed above, however, I'm becoming more and more weary of Wieber's Bars being used in TF. Her hit ratio in big meets is not good. The domino effect of this is that it hurts Maroney who has only floor and vault to offer. We have 3 Amanars even w/o her. What we need is another bar specialist.
DeleteNastia has no injury but still has not competed or seemingly even gotten in shape. How to take serious?
ReplyDeletei see ross making the team over bross or memmel any day. before douglas too. seeing as she is pretty close to beating wieber... hard to imagine she's not on the team.
ReplyDeleteHow many times has Ross competed senior again?
ReplyDeleteWhat has Gabby ever accomplished again to all of a sudden become an AA-er? Oh sorry. Marta over scoring her at a meet in secret.
DeleteGabby is a head case and always has been.
Fourth in the world at worlds prelims might seem to be an accomplishment to most.
DeleteGet a life!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous at 2.02 on 21st Feb, was that aimed at me? I'm not at all confident in Raisman's Amanar, and she could well be on the team without it. Though the version she did last year would probably just about get credited internationally, poor as it was. For anyone who's on Team Raisman (and Marta seems to be) I'd think the bigger concern is her injuring herself with it.
ReplyDeleteAlthough by all means swap Ross with Raisman, Maroney or even Wieber in either scenario (injuries happen). The point is that it still works. There's room for the US to have two bars specialists or none.
ReplyDeleteCome to that, you can even construct a team that allows Memmel not to do bars. Sounds ridiculous I know, and its implausible, but she used to be a high BB/FX scorer.
Like so:
VT- Douglas, Wieber, Ross
UB- Wieber, Douglas, UB specialist
BB- Ross, Memmel, Wieber
FX- Memmel, Wieber, Ross
Now I don't think this team is at all likely, for a number of reasons. For one, Memmel isn't staying healthy. If she can save her shoulder by not doing bars, she'll fuck up her ankle instead. For another, Raisman might well outscore her on BB/FX (and fwiw, I suspect that might be Aly's best route onto the team, much as the international judges seem to love her bars). But it fits.
I hate to say this but I think Memmel is done. Even if she's not broken by Nationals/Trials I still don't think Marta will take her to the Olympics. She's just too much of a liability-there's a history of injuries at top events including at the Olympics.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Margaret. Sad, but very true.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the shoulder subluxing during a routine is what did it for me. I know she said she could've carried on if necessary, but it isn't worth the risk. Bars is obviously not a great event for the US, but they're not so lacking in depth that they have to take that risk. In the end, I think it says a lot that Memmel hasn't managed to stay healthy for a major championship since 2005.
ReplyDeleteI see this as a probable team:
ReplyDeleteVT: Douglas, Raisman, Wieber
UB: Wieber, Douglas, Liukin
BB: Raisman, Wieber/Ross, Liukin
FX: Raisman, Wieber, ?
Other "top" girls that are in the running are: Johnson, Sacramone, Memmel, Sloan, Bross, Maroney, Vega
I could see Bross and Maroney taken as alternates.
@Anonymous 10:24 AM I don't think Sloan is going to make it-perhaps as an alternate along with Johnson. I don't think Memmel and Sacramone are going to make it at all. I believe they'll take Maroney over Sacramone in a heartbeat. I think Ross and Vega most likely will be alternates. I can see them keeping Raisman off the team and keeping her as an alternate. It will be interesting to see which way they go. Douglas especially has changed the stakes considerably imo. A healthy Bross should make the team(healthy being key).I love Nastia but we've seen nothing close to a full routine as yet from her. I hope she brings it at Classics in May.
ReplyDelete