Sunday, July 1, 2012

Introducing Team USA!



This is my token moment of patriotism before rooting for Komova, Grishina and Mustafina.  Enjoy it while it lasts.

Update: Boginskaya thinks Alicia Sacramone should be a replacement athlete.

13 comments:

  1. I love how Horton almost looks like he is standing in the front row with the girls. He's basically the same height as them.

    I'm a little surprised that Sacramone wasn't chosen as an alternate, but they wouldn't have taken both her and Price, and Price can be used on bars and floor in a pinch so I guess it makes sense. Still, bummer.

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  2. I feel bad for Vega. I would never put her on the team after the way she did these last couple months, but I think she thought she had a real shot after Tokyo. Unfortunately, even is he hit, her routines lacked difficulty. She must be crushed.

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  3. Someone commented that it was "karma" for Teodora Ungureanu that Vega didn't sniff the Olympic team. How so? How much does a witch does Teodora have to be to deserve bad karma after barely escaping death in the horrific Karolyi-era Romania?

    Jon Horton knew exactly where to stand to avoid being covered up by the taller women - he's a pro.

    You're right A.J. - this *is* the hottest male team ever, and Josh Dixon isn't even on it!

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  4. If I was on a selection committee I would pick an athlete that had all the goods, not just someone who could do one or two events. They must know this going into it....especially with only five girls making up the team. Besides, Sacramone, already showed the US she has the possibility to crack under Olympic pressure.

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  5. Go team USA bring on Russia china romiania we are ready

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  6. @anon 10:33- I'm just guessing at why but I heard several times that Teodora was saying that Vega wasn't going to make the team and that they were just aiming for an alternate spot. I know it's about being realistic but if I was Vega and at one of the most important meets of my career I would not appreciate my coach saying that. *shrugs*

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  7. I think the correct team was picked, and also the best alternatives... as even though setimentally we want to root for Alicia lets be real, Price has a higher scoring vault for the team, her beam while one of the best was also one of the best 4 yrs ago and she sure f***ed that up proper. Anna Li will fill the bar spot and Finnegan beam and maybe floor.
    The scoring was all over the place but I hink the 5 did what they needed to do! If Price had a second vault then she would have had a chance to make the team!
    But they better really score like this in London on Vault as they will be killed on bars by the Russians ... mind you who knows who the Russian will end up with on Beam.
    Too bad the romanians can only manage one passable bars score as they very likely gonna be #1 on beam and floor ... and with Sandra's mustafina, mayeb one amanar from either Ponor or lordache and DTY they will be very competitive... Is it just me or does China seem to have slim to no chance to medal .. i just dont seee where hey are goin to get their scores from!!!

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    1. China will have 2 DTY's plus one amanar from Huang if she continues to hit it consistently. Yao's bar routine starts at 6.8/6.9, Huang's at 6.8, and if they take He Kexin she recently gained back her 7.4 bar routine. On beam Yao has a 6.5 start score and Sui has a 6.6. Romania will have to do better on bars than China can do on vault in order to be in contention for bronze. DTY's score around 14.7/14.8 so Romania would have to put up scores around there because there's no question that China can match Romania's vault scores with their UB routines.

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  8. When I heard Teodora said Vega wasn't going to make the team I thought she was kind to say they were aiming for an alternate spot... she couldn't even get near the top 5 on any event... she was lucky she was on the World's team last year but she just didnt upgrade and improve so she should just have enjoyed the trials experience in my opinion!
    Poor Bross, that was rough to watch, would be interesting to see what really went on behind the scenes to have such an epic meltdown the past year ... But while people always said she was such a tough competitor I cannot say I ever liek her as remeber in 2009 she was suppsoed to win everything and she fell both at worlds and nationals, and I just never thought of her as a rock!

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  9. I just wanted to run away from the room when Bross kept fallling. It was so bad. I think she just got scared after that injury....kinda like pstd. And yet, being an athlete she just did not know when to quit.

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  10. I cannot believe people are arguing for ASac over a true AA gymnast in Price. ASac really was only a vaulter anyway, there is no way she'd be asked to step in on a moment's notice on beam, since she's already proven herself unable to handle the pressure with a month of prep.

    What I don't get is Finnegan. She'll be ready for next quad, but now, no.

    Li makes great sense. The team will be hurting most if they lose one of the decent bar workers.

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  11. I think most people were arguing ASac over Finnegan.

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  12. I kind of like ASac, but I'm kind of glad she's not on the team or even an alternate. Maybe now NBC will quit showing that damn video of her windmilling her arms on the beam in Beijing. I'm so sick of seeing and hearing about it.

    Another thing I'm sick of is Al Trautwig. He's got to go. I hate that we will have another Olympics with him at the microphone. For that matter, all three of the NBC commentators need to be replaced, but it doesn't seem like NBC is willing to release any of them. Hopefully Al will get hit by a bus, or a hunk of debris from the space station will impale him and put him out of our misery.

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