This and That

Komova won the AA at the Russian Cup.  The Russian girls are beginning to get into form.  As expected, they are not as sharp as Martha's girls.  What is amusing is that whatever news editor made this clip selected a number of areas where Komova is actually not looking all that sharp...overtwisting and landing her triple full awkwardly, not deserving credit for a double L turn, etc.  Mustafina's vault is stuck and fugly.  There is something about her personality that makes up for the bent leg.  The 2010 Worlds were her shining Dobre moment, but that fierce ass biotch is going to go to London and bust it out and terrify us with her diva personality.  Paseka sat down her Amanar, which is not promising for the Team Finals situation.  It keeps the team wonderfully undecided and may give Nabieva enough time to still be in the mix.  With this many question marks, it is unlikely the Russians will win in London, but they may very well rack up the individual medals.  With their consistency on bars, it would be a shame if they didn't come home with two medals.

Russian Cup Results:

1.Viktoria Komova       15.200 16.200 15.067 14.300 60.767
2.Aliya Mustafina         15.067 15.867 14.100 14.133 59.167
3.Yulia Inshina             13.700 14.200 14.400 13.867 56.167
4.Ksenia Afanasyeva     13.600 13.500 14.700 14.267 56.067
5.Anna Pavlova            14.733 12.833 14.533 13.600 55.697
6.Anna Myzdrikova       13.833 11.867 13.300 13.400 52.400
7.Yulia Belokobylskaya 13.367 12.500 13.567 12.900 52.334
8.Anastasia Sidorova     14.300 10.333 13.133 14.033 51.799
-----
Tatiana Nabieva               14.233 14.767 0.000 0.000 29.000
Maria Paseka                   14.533 13.667 0.000 0.000 28.200
Anna Dementyeva              0.000 14.733 13.067 0.000 27.800
Anastasiya Grishina          0.000   13.800  0.000 0.000 13.800



Chloe Lukasiak's full Unchained solo.  Listen to how crazy the crowd goes for her.  This aspect of reality is never mentioned on TV.  Everyone knows these girls and either is dying to see them or kick their asses every time they perform.



Nastia talking about second chances and her shoulder.  There is something about her demeanor that will make us point back to these interviews after she performs at Trials.  Does she know what she can do in two and a half weeks?  What is physically possible?



Martha discusses Price's gymnastics.  She would like her to work on the artistry.  It is very Romanian of her to think that could really be improved in two weeks.



Kristie Phillips brings us back to the Olympic year.  Frankly, we need to hand a group of these former Olympic hopefuls a bottle of vodka and let them dish around a table.  There really does need to be a Karolyi reunion on Oprah's Second Chapter.  The girls from '88 and the six pack could just talk it out.  Dominique and Martha could sit down like Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding and just work it out for money and ratings.  Bela could chase Oprah around on his four wheeler for conditioning drills and her her "YOUUU CAN DO IIIT."  Oprah can ask Kerri how her ankle is doing.  Imagine the possibilities.

"MARRRRYYYYYLOOOOUUU RETTTTONNNNN"

"NADUYAAA COMAN EEEEEEEEEEECHHHH"

"KRISTIE PHILLIPS!"

Kristie tells us of her self esteem returning as a person being away from Karolyis...



Brenna Dowell broke her hand two weeks ago and is competing...  If one can survive GAGE and Martha, they can survive anything.


Tobias and Stagniunas are going to Novi with Igor.  Allegedly, Igor was checked out for some time and felt Marina was making the decisions regarding the top teams.  When he tried to check back in, Marina did not have it and ended things when he wanted his own new teams.

Yu-Na Kim arrives in Shanghai for Artistry on Ice.  She is also dropping her slander lawsuit against the professor that said her student teaching was for show.  It is probably a smart move, as I don't think anyone actually expects Yu-Na to be teaching mathematics to third graders for a fraction of what she earns in a day on the ice.

Gabby Douglas' ESPNW Blog.